Product Development Controller

ABF Grocery is hiring a Product Development Controller to lead Ryvita’s product innovation from concept through launch at its Poole site in Dorset. The role is onsite and reports to the Managing Director, giving you responsibility for the full development lifecycle and for building a high-performing team. Ryvita is one of the UK’s iconic food brands, and this position sits at the heart of its growth plans. It would suit someone who loves turning ideas into consumer-loved products and who thrives when collaborating with Marketing, Operations, Technical, Procurement and Supply Chain.

Working at the heart of the business, you’ll help shape both new and existing products, ensuring technical robustness, commercial viability and consumer appeal. You’ll own the end-to-end development process, from insight and concept through to launch and post-launch optimization, while driving improvements in product quality, performance and packaging, and helping the brand meet regulatory and quality standards. You’ll also guide the product development team, set direction and hold delivery accountability as the portfolio evolves to support ABF’s growth targets.

Day-To-Day Responsibilities For The Product Development Controller

In this role you’ll lead new product development (NPD) and existing product development (EPD) from concept through to launch and post-launch optimization, ensuring products meet brand, technical, legislative and commercial requirements. You’ll drive ongoing improvements in product quality, performance and consumer satisfaction across the Ryvita portfolio, and you’ll coach and develop the Product Development team to keep a high standard of delivery. The role calls for close collaboration with Marketing, Operations, Technical, Procurement and Supply Chain to turn insights into commercially viable products that perform in market and support the company’s growth plans.

Who Fits The Product Development Controller Role

The right person will combine strong food product development, innovation or R&D experience with a solid ability to balance technical details with commercial outcomes. They’ll lead with a transparent, accountable style that motivates the team and fosters trust across the business, and they’ll be comfortable working across functions to deliver results. A curious mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement should be in evidence, with a track record of developing talent and building a high-performing team culture. Experience in cross-functional collaboration and a history of bringing products to market are essential; packaging development and regulatory considerations would be advantageous.

Pay, Benefits And Practical Details

The package includes a competitive salary and car allowance, plus a bonus scheme of up to 15%. They offer a pension with employer contributions up to 10%, a flexible work culture, a buy holiday scheme, discounted Ryvita products, a Health Cash Plan and generous family leave. Additional perks include career opportunities across the ABF group (employing around 128,000 people worldwide), access to discounts with over 900 retailers on the company’s discount platform, a group cycle-to-work scheme and free parking. The role is onsite in Poole, Dorset, with the usual benefits that come with joining a large FMCG business. If you require a reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process, the team can be reached at [email protected].

Learn more at www.ryvita.com or follow Ryvita on LinkedIn for vacancies.

Advice For Applicants For The Product Development Controller Role

Lead with your strongest NPD or EPD successes on your resume, and open with a concise summary of your end-to-end launches and the impact they had on consumer appeal and business results.

Show how you prove the must-have skills in practice: give clear examples where you balanced consumer needs and quality with commercial performance, and highlight times you collaborated across Marketing, Operations, Technical, Procurement and Supply Chain to deliver a launch.

Be ready to discuss how you develop and coach a product development team, how you handle regulatory and packaging considerations, and a specific launch you led from concept to market.

Ask about the current product pipeline and how success is measured for new and existing product development, and how this role contributes to Ryvita’s growth plans within the ABF group.