22 September 2026

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

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About The Role

At LeaderBrand, we’re passionate about evolving fresh food for a healthier world. We are one of New Zealand’s largest and most diverse horticultural businesses. As a proud family-owned business, our goal is to be New Zealand’s most innovative fresh food producer.

We are embarking on an exciting growth journey and we’re looking for a Product Development Specialist to join our Marketing team. You’ll report into our Senior Brand Manager and will play a key role in implementing our marketing plan and innovation pipeline across fresh produce and bagged salads.

With a strong focus on insights and innovation, you will manage a variety of projects including new product development, product reformulations and packaging innovations, working across retail, foodservice and private label. You will partner with cross-functional teams and third-party suppliers, to take opportunities from initial concept through to launch, collaborating on product feasibility, commercial viability, business case development, launch readiness and post-launch learning.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys turning ideas into action. You’ll own projects, solve problems and bring together consumer insight, creativity and commercial thinking to help create products that succeed in market.

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what you will be doing
  • Research market trends, shopper data, competitor activity, and consumer insights to recommend new product opportunities.
  • Develop new product briefs for our third-party suppliers and technical teams to create products that meet consumer, brand and commercial needs.
  • Assess financial viability of innovation projects and coordinate various feasibility work such as growing trials, factory capabilities, sensory testing, product claims, production trials, shelf-life validation and retailer sell-ins.
  • Lead the commercialisation and go-to-market planning of approved innovations to ensure NPD is launched seamlessly with executional excellence. This includes running NPD meetings, owning project timelines, highlighting risks, troubleshooting issues and stage-gate requirements to keep projects moving.
  • Manage packaging artwork development, marketing collateral and shopper activation campaigns.
about you

    You’ll have experience delivering innovation or new product development and know how to take ideas from concept through to successful launch. You could be a Brand Manager or Assistant Brand Manager ready for your next step or have relevant experience from another product-focused role. What matters most is that you’re commercially astute, naturally curious and excited by the challenge of bringing new products to market.

    You will bring:

    • At least 2-3 years’ product development, brand management or marketing experience, ideally within FMCG food manufacturing.
    • A tertiary qualification in Marketing, Business, Commerce or a related field.
    • Highly organised and able to manage multiple projects with a high level of autonomy and attention to detail.
    • A strong collaborator who can build relationships and has confidence to manage cross-functional project teams and third-party suppliers.
    what we offer
    • The opportunity to make a genuine impact in a growing category
    • Supportive and collaborative team environment
    • Competitive remuneration package.
    • Career development opportunities

    Apply Now

    Ready to turn fresh-food ideas into successful products? If you are passionate about marketing, innovation, and helping businesses grow, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your experience and interest in the role.

    About LeaderBrand

    At LeaderBrand, we’re passionate about evolving fresh food for a healthier world. As a proud family-owned business, our goal is to be New Zealand’s most innovative and consistent fresh food producer. We farm across three key growing regions, process and pack in state-of-the-art post-harvest facilities, and are supported by a nationwide sales team delivering fresh produce to every corner of Aotearoa. Our 400+ people are central to our success. We’re always on the lookout for new talent with energy, passion, and a drive to learn – people excited to help shape the future of fresh food.

    Gisborne is the heart of our business and the place where LeaderBrand was founded more than 50 years ago. Over that time, LeaderBrand has become integral to the story of our community, with the next generations of those who started with us returning to shape the future alongside us. We also have farms in Pukekohe and Chertsey.

    We have a strong vision for the future of our business, our people, and our industry. We’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Our continuous improvement mindset grounds us as one of New Zealand’s leading horticultural businesses. We seek, harness, and develop the best people, technology, land, and machinery to shape the future of food.