Helping pet brands and pet businesses navigate the world of retail to develop and grow.

Reporting into the Head of Trading Development and working closely with the Head of Accessories.Support the delivery of the accessories’ strategy and help define, shape and sequence key cross-functional medium-longer term strategic workstreams.Use trends, data & insight to perform early, high-level assessment of opportunities across the accessories market.Produce an annual macro consumer & product trends pack identifying categories innovation opportunities and themes for the cross-functional team to inspire range events NPD & innovation.Work closely with the Pet team and ESG teams to identify the key welfare and sustainability priorities, build and shape a roadmap and KPIs.Lead and manage the RangeMe supplier submission platform for new brands to submit NPD and innovation for the buyers. Attend innovation summits, unique trade shows, inspirational store visits and competitor visits and cascade key opportunities to the team through the internal 'catwalks' programme that I lead. Champion matrix working: engage and communicate clearly with other stakeholders across the business to build strong cross functional relationships.

• Report into the Head of Own Brand (OB) and Innovation.• Championed newness for the future• Lead the overall macro trends and insights for direction and inspiration by creating and presenting the annual macro consumer, lifestyle and pet trends for accessories, food & treats, and health and wellness. Weaving through sustainability and ensuring pet welfare was always considered.• Scoped and researched the market, customer and pet needs, competition, and trends for new product innovation opportunity areas and brought forward worked-up ideas to the business.• Fostered a ‘test and learn’ innovation culture and lead the quarterly Catwalk Day programme bringing new innovative start-up on-trend brands to the business and helped these suppliers to be retail ready to progress.• Attended inspirational store safaris, trade and innovation events and cascaded the themes, insights, and inspiration to the cross-functional team to challenge current thinking. • Worked with the customer personas and built into thinking and product opportunities.• Lead the concept testing, insight and research gathering with Vypr, and result download to the team.Additional Initiatives:• Created a new central supplier submission hub for managing supplier leads in partnership with RangeMe. Brought in the concept testing and insight tool Vypr to support concept and product development. • Provided trends, insights and future concept opportunities for Puppy, Christmas and Summer, Senior Pet, Vegan Pet Food and Future of Pet Food.• Launched successful innovation trials to attract a younger demographic that went on to be extended: a design-led collection of accessories with Pawsome Paws Boutique and an occasion-led gift box with Postman Pooch.• C.100 new brand introductions to the Trading and NPD teams.• Managed our partners and the annual contract – Vypr, RangeMe and WGSN.• Arranged team development away days.

• Report into the Head of NPD with 1 Senior Technologist Direct Report.• Responsible for delivery of new opportunities that will add value to Speedibake core business. Focused on 3 areas: Product Value Engineering; Innovation & Licensing NPD; Consumer & Insight Led Culture.• Working in Gate 0 – scoping, testing and defining the new product concept, new license or cost saving opportunity.• Writing a clear innovation plan and pipeline for the business.• Bringing consumer and market insight to the NPD and Sales teams and to our customers.• Working with Vypr the concept testing tool, Kantar category data, Mintel reports and other trends information. • Leading the product value engineering team to deliver £500k annual cost savings• Customer facing role to grocery retailers, top foodservice channels and our licensors.• Working cross-functionally across the business and networking across the ABF Grocery Group.• As a line manager, motivating and coaching my team to support their development and objectives • Active member of the ABF Group Innovation Forum with sister companies Silverspoon, Twinnings, AB World Foods, Jordans-Dorset-Ryvita and WestmillAdditional Initiatives:• Managing our insight, artwork and website agencies, and the annual Vypr contract.• Leading a project to rebuild the company website, shortlisting and selecting the agency.• Writing content and uploading on LinkedIn and our website• Writing and updating the Speedibake customer introduction & capabilities presentation • Leading the redesign of our Perfect Partners Garlic Bread range• Entering 2021 industry awards • Managing the marketing and innovation budget of £6k • Responsible for the marketing and PR launch campaigns for our branded products• Written the Gate 0 Process flow, Step WOWs and project critical path tracker.• Arranging team fun away days and re-launched an NPD team reward & recognition scheme • Completing the Digital Marketer Level 3 Apprenticeship Course

Leading a team of 2 Senior Development Technologists and 2 Technologists to deliver new and existing product development of bakery products (muffins, doughnuts, mince pies, garlic bread, speciality bread) from concept to launch gate process. A customer-facing role working with major UK retailers and out of home customers - Tesco, Co-Op, JS, Asda, Morrisons, Iceland, Aldi, Lidl, Costa, Whitbread, Bidfood, Brakes. As a line manager, motivate, develop and support my team’s personal development and objectives with a monthly review, weekly team meeting and regular 121sI have completed the ‘Leading Inclusivity’ pilot course as part of the ABF Group Diversity & Inclusion group, the ABF Insight Course Nov-18 and the ‘Winning Management Skills’ course Sep-17,I am a member of the ABF Group Innovation Forum with sister companies Westmill, Twinings, AB World Foods, Silverspoon and also part of the Speedibake Business Strategy Comms working group Additional Initiatives include:• Responsible for sourcing and appointing Speedibake’s first insight agency to conduct an ISB market and consumer insight research project – to commence Feb-19• Lead the overhaul and re-writing of the NPD Process trained out to the wider business with a series of workshops – in the process of refining to be more agile & efficient• Re-written job role profiles, clarified roles & responsibilities and written a clear induction plan for new starters - in the process of creating a Concept Team ‘Bible’ of all useful information & tools • Launched a reward & recognition scheme for the NPD team to nominate examples of great behaviours versus the Team Charter• Created Customer Codes of Practice & Brand Standard folders• Lead an Innovation Workstream on the future of Doughnuts and put in place a Calendar Planner of trawls, benchmarking, store audits, supplier innovation days, exhibitions

Managed a team of Product Developers responsible for a large number of different food product categories. Worked cross functionally, collaborating and influencing the Buyers; Brand & Design; Technical, Nutrition & Compliance teams to deliver the overall category product development and brand strategy. Developed and launched new, and improved existing Morrisons branded products that met and exceeded customer requirements in terms of innovation, quality and value and to agreed commercial targets and category strategies.Worked with customer insight data, food trend information and competitor activity detail to identify opportunities and create tangible product recommendations.Managed the product development process to tight deadlines influencing others to support and deliver product launches on time.Supported the corporate savings targets, and developed products to appropriate cost and quality standards.As one of the longest standing members in the team, I inducted and mentored the Assistant Developers across the team, and championed simplicity and consistent ways of working by creating an NPD 'Bible' for all the templates and useful information we used on a daily basis; and also an NPD Dashboard, an electronic version. I created the entire PD team's Learning and Development Plan in conjunction with the Morrisons internal training academy, which was subsequently rolled out to the rest of the Own Brand team. I then managed this through on a daily basis and was the 'go-to' within the team for any training needs.Categories I was responsible for over this time period included: Impulse & Core Grocery; Frozen; Beers, Wines & Spirits.

Developed and launched profitable M brand products to agreed targets through category strategies.Ensured on time and right first time execution of products within the stage and gate process.Translated customer insights, food trends and competitor activity into tangible product recommendations that met customer expectations and internal stakeholders.Categories I was responsible for over this time included: Crisps & Snacks; Soft Drinks; Beers, Wines & Spirits; Frozen Foods; Dairy & Chilled Juice; Fish; Poultry.

Worked closely with predominantly Own Label suppliers to select and develop the M brand product range from concept idea to launch ensuring they were profitable, of outstanding quality and value for the customerMaximised sales and market share by developing and implementing a strong promotional package and ensured these products were marketed and merchandised appropriatelyUnderstood the full cost product breakdown and current market trends to remain competitive for the customerOn a day to day basis monitored supplier service levels, conducted supplier meetings, routine and benchmark sampling, progressed new product development, implemented my promotional programme and regularly reviewed my category against the market.Won "Fresh Pasta Retailer of The Year" in November 2007 and "Frozen Pizza Reatailer of the Year" in November 2011 at the Pizza and Pasta Industry Awards.Exclusively launched Glorious! Chilled Soups in January 2008 First To Market and with a strong influence on the design and promotion of the range - Still selling across the market today.Categories I was responsible for over this time included Fresh Foods (Pizza, Garlic Bread, Pasta & Sauce, Soup, Vegetarian) and Frozen (Ice Cream & Party Food)

On a day to day basis, monitored category performance, negotiated promotions in line with my promotional programme, monitored supplier performance and service levels, re-negotiated annual trading agreements.Following the takeover of Batleys by Bestway in January 2005, assisted in the renegotiation of trading terms for Frozen Food suppliers, completed range reviews and aligned pricing for the Bread and Cake category.Assisted on a successful catering project, introducing a Frozen, Chilled & Bread 'Catering' range in Bestway stores.Assisted in the launch of the 'Category Driving' initiative for the Chilled category which involved developing a core product range with retailer document.

P&L responsibility for £600k turnover and 1500 square feet Leeds store and £375k turnover and 1100 square feet Kendal store.Commercial and visual merchandising of the branch using stock and sales information reportsBudgeted and managed payroll and controllable costs to achieve under plan.Successfully managed stock loss with last result under planRecruited, inducted new team members and provided staff development and trainingSold the brand account card consistently exceeding targets and ranked in company Top 20 league table.Area role as brand Account Motivator responsible for managing 13 stores' account card performance and achieved area targets.