Head of Product Development

Tesco UK • Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire • Permanent • Apply by 01-Dec-2025

As Head of Product Development, you'll lead a talented team to shape and deliver best-in-class product development that truly reflects the Tesco Customer strategy. This is a pivotal role where you'll define and own the Product Plan, driving both New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD) activity for the next 1-2 years. Working collaboratively across the wider business, you'll ensure our product pipeline is innovative, commercially sound, and meets evolving customer needs.

You'll combine strategic thinking with hands-on leadership, inspiring your team to deliver exceptional quality and value. From concept to launch, you'll champion creativity, operational excellence, and customer insight to bring products to life that make a real difference.

What is in it for you

We're all about the little helps. That's why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you - both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!

• Annual bonus scheme of up to 45% of base salary
• Car Cash Allowance
• Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance
• Retirement savings plan - save between 6% - 10% and Tesco will contribute 1.5 times this amount
• 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (after 1 years' service) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, we also offer 6 weeks fully paid paternity leave

You will be responsible for

• Translating the Brand & category visions into development strategies & plans for my team.
• Governing the Product Development process & plans (product, packaging & design) for the year ahead, ensuring they have clear business & customer rationale & launch on time.
• Developing an innovative NPD Pipeline for the future in line with the category's supplier strategy.
• Shaping our sourcing strategy, working in collaboration with the teams, to select & develop the best supply base.
• Building great relationships with our supplier partners & ensuring the teams engage with them on product & strategy.
• Driving a culture & being an ambassador of product innovation, with customers at the heart of everything we do.
• Contributing to change programmes, ensuring changes to process & structures are embedded successfully.
• Acts as a voice for their team, advising leaders to ensure challenges, learnings & opportunities inform decision making.
• Providing thought leadership to help shape the function's response to challenges & approach to medium term plans.
• Managing the people routines for my categories such as performance, talent, resource & recruitment.
• Empowering my team to deliver the short-term plan within clear decision-making parameters.
• Role modelling leadership, so that my team are motivated & feel it is a great place to work.
• Developing & leading a high performing team, giving them the opportunities to be their best.
• Following our Business Code of Conduct & always acting with integrity & due diligence.

You will need

• Strong & empowering leadership style that thrives in a fast pace & collaborative environment.
• Leader who can assimilate a wide range of information & insight & balance the needs of working with stakeholders.
• A high level of knowledge & understanding of product trends.

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About us

You might know us as a supermarket, technology company or even for our award-winning mobile network. Truth is, we're all of those things, and much more. Our colleagues work with one goal in mind, helping to make every day a little better for our customers, colleagues and communities all over the world. No two customers are the same, neither are our colleagues.

At Tesco, we champion a balance that lets you thrive both in and out of work. Spend 60% of your week collaborating with colleagues at our office locations or local sites and the rest remotely. Whether you're just kicking off your career, juggling passions, or navigating big life events, we're here to support you. We always welcome a conversation about flexible working, so talk to us throughout your application about how we can support.

We're proud to be an accredited Disability Confident Leader, where everyone's welcome. That's why we commit to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need support with your application, click here for more information. And if you're interested in joining our team but don't tick every box, don't let that hold you back from applying.