Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.
As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.
To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact
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Family and ideas have always been our ingredients. Our founding families believed biscuits and chocolates could bring moments of happiness to the world. Their ideas have stood the test of time. Their spirit continues to inspire our future. It’s in the care and the craft we bake into biscuits and chocolates that have been loved for generations. And it’s in the fresh ideas, the new twists, flavours and textures we add to old and new favourites.
Our 16,000 colleagues, in every corner of the world, bring their own experience of happiness to pladis. Each of us is unique but coming together as one family of bakers and chocolatiers working hard, with pride and with purpose. Because after all these years, we still believe biscuits and chocolates bring people together. We are pladis. We bake happiness. Happiness with every bite.
Our founders didn’t follow rules and recipes, they created them. We’re looking for fresh thinkers to help us create the next chapter for pladis.
pladis succeeds because of people like you. People who wake up in the morning excited to get to work. Who believe in themselves and their potential. Who want to grow as part of a global community of like-minded colleagues.
Because growth is our oxygen and our fuel. And it’s our deep and abiding belief that growth comes from working together, helping each other out, always passionate about our purpose to bring happiness with every bite.
pladis colleagues care deeply about being the best. About winning, staying the course and never giving up. Whichever part of the world we’re in, whatever our role. Whether we’re baking, working in HR, finance, marketing or many other areas – we win as one pladis team.
And while we’re all unique, we share something in common. It’s the code by which we live and work. We call it our ‘Winning Traits & Behaviours’: Purpose Led, Agile, Collaborative, Positive and Resilient. Five aspects of pladis life that define who we are, how we interact and get things done.
pladis is home to iconic brands Godiva, McVitie’s and Ulker. These brands make sweet treats and savory treats that consumers everywhere recognize and enjoy! As we start on our new journey, we will continue making the biscuits and confectionery people know and expect from these brands, and we will expand their portfolios too. Together we will build new and exciting products – new flavors, new concepts and new ways to share happiness.
Our strength is not only in our products, it is also in our people and our values Each business that has united to form pladis are loved for their heritage and values. We will retain the honesty, integrity and trust instilled in our brands by our ground-breaking founders as we embark on the next chapter of our success.
What will this role achieve?
The Head of Product Development - Savoury Biscuits plays a central role in shaping and delivering pladis’ savoury biscuits growth agenda, leading technical activities across innovation, productivity, and business continuity.
You will lead a team of R&D professionals, working with cross-functional partners to define product development strategy and deliver the three-year growth plan. As a key member of the leadership team, you will also take ownership of the test bakery facility, site engagement activities, and site health & safety responsibilities.
This role is critical to the growth of our savoury categories, combining strategic leadership with hands-on accountability for capability, delivery, and site support.
You will act as the technical expert for product development, providing guidance on major innovation projects and serving as the key R&D contact for complex site and supply chain challenges. You will be building future pipeline and technical capability by identifying new ingredients, processes, and ways to strengthen the UK&I business. You will oversee escalations and maintain compliance with required procedures. You will define the forward-looking plan for the future capability of the savoury biscuits team and pilot plant while ensuring team KPIs, prioritisation, and development are effectively managed.
There will be a requirement to travel to our manufacturing sites across the UK as part of this role.
What will be your key deliverables?
Functional Capability Building:
Lead your team and the broader UK&I R&D team, by setting and exhibiting high work ethics, standards of delivery and being a visible and living example of pladis’ values and culture. Be an ambassador for R&D in the business.
Leadership & Team Engagement:
Communicate the function's strategy and its relationship to the organization's mission, vision and values; clarify the actions needed to implement it within your area of responsibility, whilst engaging those around you to commit to doing extraordinary things to achieve the organization's business goals.
What do you need for this role?
Proven track record of project leadership with several product launches, some of which should have included the installation of new technology, formats, machinery or processes
Our winning traits and behaviours
Diversity and inclusivity is central to everything we do and is reflected across our business. pladis brings together brands and people from around the globe – and this diversity is our great strength.
We’re an equal opportunities employer and believe in encouraging inclusivity where we celebrate diversity of thinking and respect everyone’s distinctive qualities and perspectives.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform key job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation
pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.
We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List. If you are a recruitment agency and wish to submit candidate to be considered for this vacancy, you must have agreed to, and signed, our terms of business.
We will not accept CVs from any other sources other than those currently on our PSL. We will not pay a fee for any candidate that has not been represented by a provider on our PSL.
