Own Brand Product Development & Sourcing Specialist
Contract: 1 Year
Location: Cork
Join Musgrave – A Legacy of Innovation, Community, and Excellence
Musgrave is one of Europe’s most successful family-owned businesses, with a rich 150-year legacy in food and brand innovation. We're proud to serve communities across Ireland and Spain, feeding one in three people every day through 18 iconic brands like SuperValu, Centra, Mace, Frank and Honest, and Musgrave MarketPlace. By supporting thousands of retail and foodservice family businesses, we make a positive impact on the communities they serve. We're committed to becoming the most trusted and sustainable business in Ireland, and we're looking for dynamic, forward-thinking individuals to join us on this journey.
As we continue our journey toward becoming Ireland’s most trusted and sustainable business, we have an exciting opportunity for a successful candidate to join our Trading team as a Own Brand EPP Sourcing Specialist.
The successful candidate will join a vibrant Own Brand department that develops leading Retail and Wholesale Own Brand food and non-food products for SuperValu, Centra, Musgrave Wholesale and Daybreak.
This is an exciting and dynamic role offering exposure across a wide portfolio of both food and non-food categories. You will work in close collaboration with an external buying partner to secure supply, mitigate risk, and drive product re-engineering initiatives. You will collaborate with category teams to define and optimise product ranges aligned with business and customer needs. You will also play a key role in reviewing and approving supplier proposals and product submissions through a robust sample evaluation process. This includes ensuring the product meets organoleptic standards, aligns with quality standards, commercial objectives, and the requirements of both existing ranges and new product development. This role requires strong project management to ensure key deadlines are consistently achieved.
The role involves working closely with the Product Development & Sourcing Specialist Lead, Category Own Brand Product Developer and Technologist team, Trading Managers, Sourcing Team and external Sourcing partner.
To succeed in this role, you will need a Food technology/science background and be able to apply your knowledge in a commercially aware way.
What you'll be doing:
- Act as the primary contact for suppliers, managing specification reviews, sample submissions, approvals, and stakeholder communication.
- Ensure Own Brand products consistently meet agreed specifications, quality standards, and packaging requirements, internal policies & legislation requirements.
- Coordinate and track sample submissions, ensuring products are delivered on time and meet project deadlines.
- Conduct desk and in-field research to analyse market trends, competitor activity, and opportunities within the Irish market.
- Plan, shop for products, organise, and lead cross-functional product sampling sessions, capturing and communicating structured feedback.
- Accurately review and update, detail-oriented documentation and reports using Excel and Word.
- Provide clear project management support, including status tracking, timelines, and stakeholder updates.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders, including Trading and Quality teams.
- Support the development and implementation of sustainable packaging solutions aligned with Musgrave’s targets.
- Contribute to business priorities by supporting cost optimisation and delivering value-driven product solutions.
- Strong project management to ensure key deadlines are consistently achieved.
What we are looking for:
- A Third level degree in Food Technology or similar relevant course.
- 2 years hands on experience in the FMCG sector/food or nonfood manufacturing environment in a transferable role such as Development/Quality/ Technical.
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Great attention to detail
- Excellent communication and influencing skills as well as project management skills with a proven record of the same
- Experience of completing retailer specifications on computerised specification systems
- Legal labels knowledge, experience of approving product labels
- The ability to work individually, as well as part of a large, cross functional team.
- Outstanding attention to detail.
Functional hands on experience in:
- Project management and planning
- Product sampling and organoleptic review of food products.
- Supplier and product selection
- Legislation, legal labels, product specifications
- Product quality optimisation
- Computerised specification systems
- Process oriented, required to demonstrate strong organisational, analytical, communication and negotiation skill.
Why Musgrave:
Career Development: With a commitment to your personal and professional growth, Musgrave offers numerous opportunities for advancement and learning.
Collaborative Environment: Work alongside a passionate team, where your contributions will make a significant impact
Innovation Focus: Be part of a company that values forward-thinking solutions
Community Focus: Be part of a company that truly values its communities and strives to make a positive impact.
Be Part of a Legacy: Join a company with a long-standing commitment to community and innovation.
Ready to make an impact? Apply now and be part of a forward-thinking company that values your expertise and vision.
Musgrave is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications from diverse candidates. If we can make any accommodations to enable you to be the best version of yourself during the interview, please let us know.
Musgrave operate a Work Smart hybrid working model where you can alternate your time between connecting and collaborating in the business and working remotely.
