Product Developer : Personal Care, Toiletries & Pharmacy

Woolworths is hiring a Product Developer for Personal Care, Toiletries & Pharmacy in Cape Town, South Africa. The role involves executing a customer-centric product strategy, developing innovative products, and collaborating with teams and stakeholders. Key responsibilities include integrating product strategies, maintaining sustainability standards, and driving product development processes. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and experience in FMCG and product development, with strong collaboration and communication skills.
Product Developer : Personal Care, Toiletries & Pharmacy

As a Product Developer in a world-class food retailer, you will execute our customer-centric product strategy. Your key focus will be to develop and deliver innovative commercially viable product solutions that are anchored in quality and sustainability. You will guide and motivate teams and key stakeholders, to collaboratively deliver a customer-centric product strategy.

Integrate and implement product strategy into development plans for the relevant department(s):
• Understand the retail competitor market & customer need states to meet and exceed expectations.
• Apply customer & trends insights into product development briefs for suppliers.

Drive and maintain a world-class sustainable product and packaging standard and framework:
• Integrate with Central Quality & Suppliers to conduct and analyse comparative and directional benchmarking and translate outcomes into product plans where applicable.
• Display a clear understanding of the science (aesthetics, sensorial elements, safety aspects) of the relevant category, while keeping abreast and implementing new advancements where relevant.

Inspire and influence the product teams and key stakeholders to deliver industry leadership positions:
• Collaboratively and inclusively integrate with key stakeholders in achieving key product development milestones, ensuring a commercial and sustainability lens is considered at all times.
• Timeously achieve milestones by consistently encouraging and aligning quality outputs.

Amplify and embody an environment of creativity, growth, knowledge and empowerment:
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic and commitment to quality, setting a high standard for the team to follow.
• Understand and actively share culinary and technical product knowledge with suppliers, matrix, and PD teams.

Drive, integrate, and own product development processes and supporting systems:
• Ensure alignment and integration with the Packaging Support Specialist to ensure packaging is considered throughout the development process.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of how relevant and effective FMCG products are developed from conceptualisation to post-launch on shelf, including production processes within our supplier base.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Relevant Degree/ Diploma/ Qualification (Diploma in Cosmetics will be advantageous)
• 3-5 years’ experience in FMCG/Toiletries, Face & Body (Personal Care) would be advantageous
• Minimum 1-year experience in Product development, Retail, FMCG brand management or hospitality essential.
• Experience of working cross functionally or within a matrix organization.
• Courses & experience within the field of brand management, product ranging, and development.
• Demonstrate strategic intent and holistic approach.
• Commercial Acumen
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• Customer Centric
• Confident and Passionate Ambassador
• Product Expertise in gifting
• Retail & Related Industry Knowledge
• Willingness to travel locally and internationally.

“As a proud South African brand, Woolworths is committed to transformation. Meeting our employment equity goals will be taken into