Product Innovation - Vancouver, Canada - COBS Bread

COBS Bread

Verified Company

Vancouver, Canada

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Great Place to Work Certified

Product Innovation & Procurement Manager

Reports to:
Director, Innovation & Franchisee Financial Health

Location:
Vancouver, BC

COBS Bread is looking for a passionate and strategic _Product Innovation & Procurement Manager_ to work alongside marketing, supply chain, operations and other support teams to drive the COBS Bread product strategy.

This position will delight COBS customers by leading the charge which will see the team add new products to the COBS Bread range and deliver improvements to existing products and processes.

The Product Innovation & Procurement Manager will lead the Product team to design and monitor testing, trial, and implementation of recipe innovations that will influence flavors, enhance efficiency, improve customer experience and drive sales and profit growth across COBS Bread's bakeries, nationwide.

Key responsibilities include:

Managing the product lifecycle strategy including conceptualization, design, trial, creation and evaluation of new concepts, recipes, and products for targeted markets or customers
Building key relationships with strategic suppliers to source new ingredients and vendors, and working closely with colleagues in our Canadian, US and Australian supply chain teams on RFPs, negotiations and product procurement
Leading Product Innovation strategy within the Product and Innovation teams
Engaging with franchisees to identify opportunities for quality and profit improvement across the existing COBS Bread range
As a leader in COBS' crossfunctional Innovation Team, develop and drive strategy that will fulfil COBS Bread's product pipeline and deliver excitement for COBS' customers
Stay abreast of trends and developments within the industry, channels, and techniques that will keep the brand in the forefront and deliver sales and profit results to COBS Bread franchisees

Requirements:

What You Bring to the Table:

10+ years' proven experience in baking or food product development, preferably within the retail, hospitality or manufacturing industries
Experience in developing strategy and driving teams to execute to meet annual and longer term business goals
Strong project management skills in overseeing multiple projects and meeting tight deadlines with a sense of urgency
Extensive experience and passion for development of recipes, flavour, cost, and nutritional elements
Understanding of baking or food preparation techniques and knowledge of ingredients functionality, product evaluation, health and nutrition, food manufacturing processes, microbiology, quality assurance principles, and market research principles
Ability to work flexible schedule depending on the operational needs such as product testing and review
Ability to travel occasionally across Canada and internationally as required
Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including experience presenting ideas to corporate and frontline retail and production teams
Adept in Microsoft 365 suite of products, including Outlook, Word and Excel
Experience in Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods and/or Franchising is an asset
Must have a valid driver's licence and access to a reliable vehicle

Benefits

What's in it for You:

Not only do we have fresh COBS Bread product delivered daily to our Vancouver Support Office, we offer some pretty sweet perks too

A flexible work arrangement and a onetime work from home reimbursement to ensure you're set up for success
Competitive salary and vacation plan
A great Extended Health & Dental Benefit, Group RRSP Matching, and Health Spending Account
Paid sick, mental health and personal leave days
Paid day for community service or volunteer opportunity
Monthly cellphone reimbursement
Subsidized wellness program and an onsite gym facility
An open, 'continuouslearning' environment where professional development and career progression is encouraged
Work within a dynamic, driven, highachieving, closeknit and funloving team
High level of autonomy and responsibility
Complimentary selfserve kitchen of fresh produce, deli meats and of course, COBS Bread and treats

We thank all applicants for their interest in COBS Bread but would like to advise that only applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company.

About COBS Bread
With over 160 locations, COBS Bread serves fresh and delightful baked goods to communities across Canada. Any unsold items are donated daily to various local charities and food banks.

The company's success can be attributed to the quality of our product, the development of our people and our warm and friendly customer service.

COBS Bread is part of Bakers Delight - Established in 1980 operating as Bakers Delight in Australia and New Zealand, and since 2003 as COBS Bread in Canada and the USA.

Together we have grown to more than 700 bakeries across Austra