Product Development & Commercialisation Manager

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<strong>Shape the food eaten by 1 million+ guests, weekly!</strong><br>

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Reporting to the Head of Quality and Product Development, the Product Development &amp; Commercialisation Manager drives GYG's product development process end to end — from ingredient changes and reformulations through to full-scale commercialisation. You'll work hand-in-hand with Culinary, Marketing, Restaurant Solutions, Operations and our vendor network to bring new food to life without ever compromising on GYG's Clean Food standards.</p><p><strong>What You'll Do</strong></p><ul><li>Coordinate and execute Product Development projects against GYG Food priorities — balancing COGS, operational impact and the business calendar</li><li>Partner with existing and new suppliers to secure the resources, equipment and capability GYG needs</li><li>Review product specifications to ensure every new food and beverage item meets GYG's Clean Food definitions</li><li>Lead product cuttings, pilot trials and restaurant shakedowns</li><li>Own shelf-life and holding-time validation, including transport trials and reference materials</li><li>Manage nutritional analysis and food micro testing in partnership with the Food Safety Manager</li><li>Project manage supplier bench samples and upscaling, including trial production runs and performance data analysis</li><li>Support Procurement in vendor assurance — onboarding, certification (incl. HACCP) and ongoing supplier relationships</li><li>Maintain master data including product/raw material specs, approved substitutes, allergen and nutrition information</li><li>Hand over signed-off products to Restaurant Solutions and Operations, keeping technical documentation current</li></ul><p><strong>What You'll Bring</strong></p><ul><li>5–7 years' experience as a Food Technologist, ideally from within a factory environment, quick service restaurants or other similar environments operating at scale</li><li>Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology (or equivalent), eligible for AIFST membership at Professional level</li><li>Strong project management and data-driven, evidence-based process capability</li><li>Experience in sensory evaluation methodologies and statistical concepts</li><li>A strong understanding of flavours and flavour concepts</li><li>Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate technical detail for stakeholders at every level</li><li>A high level of proficiency with the MS Office Suite and various project management software packages</li><li>Willingness to travel locally and interstate to support restaurants and vendors (including a valid Australian drivers licence)</li></ul><p><strong>What You'll Love</strong></p><ul><li>The opportunity to join one of Australia's fastest-growing restaurant companies</li><li>Real impact in a Supply Chain function that's investing heavily in its capability</li><li>A competitive base salary range of $130k to $150k + super</li><li>Annual short-term incentive scheme (achieve up to 10% of base salary per annum)</li><li>GYG restricted shares, earned each year through our long-term incentive program</li><li>Up to 5 weeks of annual leave each year (ask us how!)</li><li>Paid parental leave</li><li>Genuine traditional and non-traditional career advancement options (e.g. opportunities to become a franchisee and own your own GYG restaurant)</li><li>A vibrant Surry Hills office, a short walk from Central Station</li><li>Hybrid work environment – 4 days in office, 1 day WFH</li></ul><p><strong>Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Apply now to start the conversation.</strong></p>