New Product Development (NPD) Assistant

The Higgidy story began back in 2003 when Camilla, our founder, spotted a gap in the market to deliver delicious, wholesome pies to our plates. Making the pies in her own kitchen at home in West Sussex, Camilla and team would serve them at festivals up and down the country before getting a big break with Sainsbury’s. These days we’re all about making glorious everyday food to help people live well – from wholesome pies and quiches to seriously snackable rolls and savoury muffins.  

We have a wide range of products to choose from, each delivering top-notch flavours and using quality ingredients – both of which are hugely important to us. What’s more, all our recipes are finished by hand which means that no two pies, quiches or sausage rolls ever look the same and that’s what makes Higgidy, ‘Higgidy’. 

We are just over 18 years young; we are available to buy nation-wide and our consumers love us for our authenticity and because our purpose shines through everything we do. We are Higgidy, we are an enduring British brand, and we are ambitious about how we will have a positive impact for our people, society, and the planet for the future. 

As our New Product Development Assistant, you will be responsible for baking samples for key customer meeting and internal presentations to help us secure new business and listings. You will also work alongside the NPD Team in our kitchen, assisting our Culinary Chef and Development Technologist.

A bit about the role:

• You will be in the centre of our busy development kitchen, following new and existing recipes to make delicious, premium quality food and innovative product samples for key customers and meetings.

• Managing our ‘especially made’ sample request procedure end to end (including sample collection and despatch to the customer and liaising with the marketing team on mock up packaging).

• Trialling new ingredients in our recipes to ensure that everything we make is the best that it can be, delivering on flavour, texture and quality.

• Assisting the Development Technologist and Culinary Chef with product remakes and recipe testing on a regular basis.

• Attending and inputting into weekly tasting sessions to ensure that our products meet our high Higgidy standards and suggesting ways in which they could be improved.

• Collecting raw materials and packaging to ensure that our Development Kitchen is well stocked, including ensuring that all ingredients are labelled with traceability information and use-by dates.

• Ensuring the Development Kitchen meets GMP & HACCP standards and a high level of cleanliness at all times. This will involve working with other teams across the business such as our Technical and Maintenance Teams.

• Managing important admin tasks to ensure the smooth running of the NPD team and kitchen – this includes things like updating our Sage system and paperwork, inputting data into competitor analyses, recording feedback from kitchen tasting and trials and logging any new raw materials.

• This is an active role so you will be on your feet both in the kitchen and also supporting with collection of product samples and competitor samples.

What we’re looking for in a New Product Development Assistant:

Essential Skills

• An interest in food
• Planning and organisational skills to manage own workload and conflicting priorities
• Process driven
• Ability to use own initiative
• Work to tight deadlines and can cope with pressure
• Good communication skills, both oral and written
• Strong attention to detail
• GCSE Maths (or equivalent)
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office

Ideal Skills

• Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene

What values do we want you to have? 

Well, this is an easy one – here at Higgidy we all share the same values; these are to Be Brave, Be Kind and Be Smart, and we believe these are so much more than just words. They form part of the Higgidy Way – and it is essential that all our team members identify with the values and demonstrate these during their day to day work here at Higgidy.   

Regardless of your role, every member of the Higgidy team has an equal responsibility to: 

• Be responsible for the QUALITY of all product and to highlight any quality concerns to either their line manager or the Technical Team. 
• Take reasonable care of their own HEALTH & SAFETY and of those around us– here at Higgidy we are ALL responsible for health and safety. 

• Help us on our journey to becoming a FORCE FOR GOOD. Every member of the Higgidy team is expected to play their part to identify ways in which you can help us be as responsible a business possible. 

Here at Higgidy we do expect everyone, on occasion, to roll up their sleeves and help out the team – so while this job description details the key duties and responsibilities of your role, it is not exhaustive and so on occasion you may be asked to help us out with any other REASONABLE task. 

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter to recruitment@higgidy.co.uk or press apply below.

Here at Higgidy we think of ourselves as a big family and family is how we aim to treat everyone – therefore we strive to create a workplace in which people from all backgrounds are encouraged to contribute and succeed. Our aim is that no job applicant, temporary worker or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender and transgender status, race and ethnicity, religion and belief (including no belief), marriage or civil partnership status or sexual orientation. For more information please visit www.higgidy.co.uk/policies