Food Product Developer - Sustainability

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or working remotely 

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

As a Product Developer at Selfridges, you will be dedicated to driving our sustainability agenda within the Food team. You will research, discover, develop and deliver new products and packaging under the Selfridges Selection brand. You will use your knowledge of sustainable materials, processes and sources to identify what we need to do to create innovative products and packaging. You will own the npd critical path and your project management skills will ensure we launch right first time, growing the Selfridges Selection brand’s share of our total food sales.

A de-facto sustainability community reporter, you will research and identify opportunities within the food and packaging industry, share these with the wider buying team, and develop creative ideas which will step change our ability to develop products responsibly and with minimum impact to the world.

Environmental and social sustainability are at the heart of our sourcing policy, and you will be responsible for driving our sustainability agenda through the Selfridges brand.

As a Product Developer, you will be responsible for:

• Being the eyes and ears on all new and emerging sustainability trends and launches within the food industry
• Working with the Creative team and other Product Developers to bring these solutions to life, from the creative brief to launch on the shop floor and online. – You will manage a number of projects from concept to launch
• Responsibility for the smooth running of the own label projects, working across Creative, Buying, Graphics and Marketing to ensure every element is in place for each new phase of the process.
• Influencing the supply base to constantly improve the design, quality and sustainability credentials of Selfridges own label product.
• Engage with retail ops, Editorial& the Online trading teams, to inform their communication of our new products  
• Working with Customer Communications including PR, Digital Marketing and Events to maximise promotional opportunities in line with new product launches. 
• Working with the Buying team to analyse sales performance, taking action when necessary to discontinue or redevelop products.
• Working with the Technical and Product team to ensure products are safe and compliant with all legislation.

The Ideal Candidate

• Well connected within the sustainability, food and packaging communities​

• A creative and innovative thinker​

• A strong communicator, able to engage at all levels and areas of the business and with external parties, delivering clear messages with energy​

• A commercial player with an ability to control costs​

• Outstanding project management skills​

• A strong influencer​

• Good empathy with brand development ​

• Ability to quickly build a high profile within a business with flair and resilience​

• Good negotiation skills​

• Systems literate

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges