Product Developer

About 7 Eleven
Since 2024, 7-Eleven Australia has joined 7-Eleven international to be part of the biggest retail network across the world, represented in 20 countries with over 84,000 stores. We have big growth plans in Australia and a lot of opportunity for someone who wants to be part of a growing retailer with a global footprint. At the heart of 7-Eleven is our culture, a culture of learning, empowerment, adaptability, and collaboration.

The Role
The Product Developer Food Innovation at 7 Eleven is responsible is responsible for the co-ordination and development of innovative, quality and safe food and drink products at 7-Eleven.

Your Responsibilities:
The Product Developer Food Innovation has a clear understanding of the development process and is the subject matter expert in their team for food. This encompasses customer centric product and packaging solutions.

Financial

• Working in conjunction with the 7-Eleven Teams; implement product development plans in line with the product strategy.
• Meet the financial targets determined in new product briefs; including materials, testing, labelling, packaging costs and others as identified.
• Develop and improve product ranges to ensure effective commercial delivery.
• Contribute to overall success of 7-Eleven brand food and drink targets.

Customer

• Working with the customer insights team and other food resources to understand wider trends in food and lifestyle, packaging, design, and ingredients. This will involve travelling, eating out and competitive shopping.
• Travel locally and internationally to identify new trends and integrate findings into food strategy.
• Keep informed of retailing and industry current affairs including technological advances, to identify potential opportunities.
• Working in conjunction with the 7-Eleven squads and chapters implement product development plans in line with the food strategy
• Communicate and coordinate the delivery of consumer led product development both top down and bottom up.
• Develop, create, and source new products that meet consumer needs and expectations in conjunction with the squads.
• Work with the entire Marketing & Communications /Food Team to ensure that all new product development meets 7-Eleven standards (quality, safety, integrity) and all legal requirements.
• Conduct regular store visits

People

• Manage suppliers and ensure they have the skills and are fully trained to deliver world class technical and development capabilities.
• Ensure suppliers are working within due diligence and development frameworks to ensure that products are safe, legal and meet the required quality standards expected by our customers.
• Drive the product brand standards with squads and supplier base (health, ingredients, sourcing etc.).
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all internal and external business partners to deliver on agreed food strategy plans
• Work with and influence squads to select and ensure that the supply base is developed or proficient in product development to the required standards
• Support the management of new product development project plans, ensuring that the team are proficient in understanding 7-Eleven product development frameworks (Smartsheet, stage gate etc.)
• Provide reporting, as required on status of new product development initiatives.
• Proactively manage communication between stakeholders on all NPD projects.

Brand

• Actively demonstrate 7- Eleven values. Be a brand ambassador to highlight quality, innovation, and great value at 7-Eleven internally and with external stakeholders.
• Development of timely, accurate, innovative product ranges.
• Role model gated development process to launch right first-time end to end product delivery.
• Set and continuously improve the quality standards of food products through local and international benchmarking. Ensure all new ranges are benchmarked and existing ranges are continually benchmarked against new competition.
• Work with and refine the current 7-Eleven stage gate process for all development work.
• Develop quality, safe new products that meet customer needs whilst adhering to all brand and regulatory requirements.
• As required, provide support and insight for all new product development trials.

Strategic
:

• In conjunction with the quality functions, ensure that the supplier base can deliver the strategy to the required quality and innovation standards, through regular supplier reviews and visits

To Be Successful in This Role, You'll Have:

• Trade qualification, or Bachelor's Degree in Food or Commercial Cookery
• Ability to mentor and train more junior team members

You will also be:

• Customer Obsessed - You have a sharp eye for emerging trends and the ability to translate them into commercially viable product strategies. With a strong track record of successful launches in the food industry, you're driven by a deep understanding of customer missions and evolving needs.
• Solutions Focused - You thrive in dynamic, problem-solving environments. Drawing on your extensive knowledge, experience, and network across product, packaging, and ingredients, you consistently deliver innovative solutions that balance creativity with practicality.
• Creative Flair - Culinary trained, you bring ideas to life—from concept to kitchen sample to factory-ready product. Your creativity is grounded in technical know-how, enabling you to refine recipes that are both delicious and scalable.
• Supplier Management - You take full ownership of supplier relationships throughout the development lifecycle. You're skilled at onboarding and upskilling emerging suppliers, ensuring alignment with quality, innovation, and commercial goals.
• Process Oriented - A natural project manager, you excel at navigating stage-gate processes. Your industry experience allows you to anticipate and overcome challenges, always aiming for win-win outcomes for customers, suppliers, and stores.
• Manufacturing Knowledge - With a proven history of first-to-market food solutions, you've successfully collaborated with supplier partners and third-party equipment providers across retail, foodservice, QSR, and convenience channels.

If this job excited you and you meet the key criteria of the role as listed herein, Please submit your application as soon as possible

At 7-Eleven our people are at the heart of everything we do.
We are committed to creating a workplace that fosters inclusion and celebrates diversity. We strive to make every single 7-Eleven team member feel heard, valued, and respected no matter who they are or what diverse characteristics reflect their unique identity. We are proud to be a
Diversity Council Australia Inclusive Employer and Bronze Accredited with the Australian Workplace Equity Index.
At 7-Eleven, we are committed to ensuring that all prospective employees have the opportunity to perform at their best throughout our recruitment process. If you require any adjustments to support an inclusive and accessible experience, please contact us for a confidential discussion at

** Please note, this email is strictly for adjustment requests related to the recruitment process. Other inquiries sent to this mailbox will not be actioned.**

To find out more about our current opportunities follow us on LinkedIn or view our careers page.