Product Development Specialist

Embark on a rewarding career with Sobeys Inc., celebrated among Canada’s Top 100 employers where your unique contributions drive success. Sobeys is full of exciting opportunities, and we are always looking for bright new talent to join our team! We currently have a full-time opportunity for a Product Development Specialist. This role is based out of our office in Mississauga, ON. Here’s Where You’ll Have An Impact Drive the execution of Our Brands product development within assigned categories, creating innovative, high-impact products that strengthen brand equity, support regional needs and build long-term customer loyalty.Translate customer insights, category opportunities, culinary and marketplace trends into clear product propositions and differentiated concepts that address defined customer needs.Demonstrate strong commercial acumen and understand how product development decisions influence cost, sales, margin, penetration, velocity, distribution and overall portfolio productivity.Lead the end-to-end product development process, ensuring alignment with sensory, brand and ingredient standards while delivering high-quality products on time and supporting speed to market.Maintain accountability beyond launch by reviewing product performance, customer feedback, consumer complaints, sensory quality and competitive positioning, identifying opportunities to optimize, renovate or rationalize products throughout their lifecycle.Build strong supplier innovation partnerships by understanding supplier capabilities, emerging technologies and innovation pipelines, while constructively challenging partners to deliver differentiated products, improved quality, greater value and faster speed to market.Support supplier sourcing and resourcing initiatives by providing product development and technical input to ensure the right supplier capabilities are aligned with product and category needs.Provide packaging feedback related to product suitability and functionality, and ensure artwork is accurate within areas of Product Development responsibility and aligned with brand standards.Request and manage product samples and key information from suppliers, maintaining organized and appropriately rotated samples within designated Product Development areas.Conduct marketplace and competitive product assessments to identify trends, benchmark product performance, support concept development and strengthen competitive positioning.Collaborate with Category Management to identify and prioritize Our Brands opportunities aligned with category strategies, while actively exchanging product and innovation ideas through regular planning and review sessions.Attend and/or lead key Our Brands events, effectively presenting product concepts and finalized products to internal and external stakeholders.Attend industry trade shows and supplier facilities to identify innovation opportunities, oversee plant trials and support successful commercialization.Work closely with a multi-disciplinary team, including Quality Assurance, Brand Management, Regulatory, Design, Marketing, Corporate Sustainability, Operations and Category Merchants, to successfully develop and commercialize Our Brands’ products. What You’ll Offer Culinary, Food Science, Food Technology education or equivalent demonstrated industry experience.5–8 years of progressive product development, culinary innovation and/or food manufacturing experience within the food industry.Experience working with deli meats, cheese and processed meat products is a strong asset.Strong understanding of food safety principles and their application within product development and food manufacturing.Working knowledge of Canadian food regulations, including CFIA standards of identity, is an asset.Experience developing, reviewing and managing ingredient and finished product specifications.Working knowledge of food certifications and related product requirements.Proven experience managing critical paths, project timelines and key development milestones from concept through commercialization.Strong understanding of food, customer, category and marketplace trends, with the ability to translate insights into relevant product opportunities.Strong passion for food and innovation, with a curious mindset and the ability to identify opportunities, bring forward new ideas and continuously improve products and ways of working.Experience working directly with suppliers and manufacturing facilities to develop, troubleshoot and commercialize products.Strong commercial acumen with an understanding of how product development decisions can impact cost, margin, sales and overall product performance.Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to assess product and technical challenges and recommend practical solutions.Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to build effective relationships with internal teams, suppliers and other business partners.Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate product recommendations and influence a variety of audiences.Highly organized, able to manage multiple projects and competing priorities while maintaining attention to detail and meeting key milestones.Comfortable working in a hands-on product development environment, including evaluating, handling and organizing product samples.Ability to travel as required, with a valid driver’s licence and access to a vehicle.Proficient in Microsoft 365 applications, including Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Who We Are Sobeys is one of Canada’s leading grocery retailers, with more than 1,600 stores across all 10 provinces and banners including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawtons Drug Stores. Our 128,000 teammates and franchise affiliates are passionate about delivering great food and exceptional experiences to our customers and communities. Learn More About Our Story And Culture Who We Are | Why Work With Us Total Rewards We offer a Total Rewards package designed to support teammates at work and in life. Depending on role and eligibility, teammates may receive health and dental benefits, retirement and savings programs including an Employee Share Ownership Plan, a 10% in-store discount at participating banners, virtual healthcare and an Employee and Family Assistance Program, learning and development opportunities, parental leave top-up, and paid vacation. Sobeys is committed to providing a compensation structure that is flexible, equitable and competitive in the market to enable performance and growth. To learn more about this opportunity including the expected range of compensation in accordance with Pay Transparency Legislation where required please click the “I’m interested” or "Apply" button above. Individual compensation is determined based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity within the range provided. Additional Information External websites may share our organization's job postings which includes compensation information based on similar roles and market benchmarks. These figures are provided for general comparison purposes only and are not issued or verified by our organization. We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support efficiencies in the candidate screening, assessment, and recruitment processes. These AI tools do not make hiring decisions on behalf of the Company. Hiring decisions are made by our Hiring Teams. Sobeys is committed to creating accessible and inclusive hiring processes. We will work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. Please note: Successful candidates will be required to provide documentation to prove their legal ability to work in the position during the onboarding process. Documentation will be assessed by the employer prior to commencement of work.