Product Expert - Own Brands (all genders)

at  zooplus SE

Company Description
More than 20 years ago, zooplus was one of the first to bring the pet category into the world of eCommerce. Today, we stand strong as Europe’s leading online pet platform, delivering moments of happiness to more than 9 million pet parents each year.
We’re on a mission to create joy for pets and their parents, driven by our core values of Care, Courage, Openness, and Simplicity. At the heart of everything we do, they inspire us to grow, raise the bar for our customers and fuel a pet-first business.
Job Description
We are currently looking for an ambitious Product Expert - Own Brands for our office in Munich.

Your Tasks:

• Undertakes completion of product briefings / specification sheets so that accurate pricing / pre production samples can be made by suppliers / manufacturers / buying office. Uses the product briefing document / specification sheets to check quality level and fitness for use of supplier initial pre production samples prior to production
• Explains specification of product verbally / in person to supplier / manufacturer / buying office dependent on complexity of product
• Gives manufacturer / supplier / buying office permission for full production based on assessment of pre production sample
• Communicates with supplier / manufacturer / buying office to monitor production and check it is within set timeframes and takes appropriate actions in case of late delivery
• Communicates with Procurement Manager on status of production / quality of samples and raises and relevant issues for resolution
• Continuous monitoring of customer satisfaction data / indexes and quality assurance reports & takes appropriate action internally and in conjunction with Procurement manager / supplier / manufacturer / buying office
• Checks & validates marketing claims that may conflict with EU consumer-rights policies
• Approves each development sample and communicates with supplier to proceed with main production
• Works with suppliers / buying office to continually ‘cost out’ products to achieve margin growth based on margin targets given
• Consider impact of taxonomy of products in regards to recipes
• Directs and clarifies the testing needs of items/ranges. Liaises with internal / external stakeholders for the execution
• Fosters cross functional collaboration in internal departmental projects
• Supports Procurement Managers / Sourcing Cost Analyst / Senior Product Development experts in ad hoc supplier related topics
• Assessing Nutritional, digestibility & palatability aspects of pet food ingredients
• Understands the impact of ingredients on the organoleptic parameters and COST of the product
• Analysis of top-selling products/flavors/trends
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the Own brands within his/her category of expertise
• Supporting Quality statements & QA requests
• Supporting Customer Care requests
• Supporting the Innovation team
• Orders sampling of existing and new products
• Operational execution of quality assurance aspects with regards to product safety, marketability, labeling and language information

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ideally 5 years of relevant work experience in pet retail or product development for a pet food manufacturer / retailer within private label
• Must-have Food Technology / Nutrition / Life Sciences degree
• Familiar with NPD processes
• Experience in the cooperation and management of external stakeholders
• Knowledge of the pet industry as well as animal nutrition according to common standards (FEDIAF, AAFCO)
• Good knowledge of feed regulations and their implications on marketing claims
• Expert knowledge in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  Additional Information
  With more than 1,000 passionate professionals located across 10 European offices, we believe our success comes from working together and leveraging our international strengths. Expect to work in a hybrid environment, collaborating with colleagues in different locations remotely.

• Undertakes completion of product briefings / specification sheets so that accurate pricing / pre production samples can be made by suppliers / manufacturers / buying office. Uses the product briefing document / specification sheets to check quality level and fitness for use of supplier initial pre production samples prior to production
• Explains specification of product verbally / in person to supplier / manufacturer / buying office dependent on complexity of product
• Gives manufacturer / supplier / buying office permission for full production based on assessment of pre production sample
• Communicates with supplier / manufacturer / buying office to monitor production and check it is within set timeframes and takes appropriate actions in case of late delivery
• Communicates with Procurement Manager on status of production / quality of samples and raises and relevant issues for resolution
• Continuous monitoring of customer satisfaction data / indexes and quality assurance reports & takes appropriate action internally and in conjunction with Procurement manager / supplier / manufacturer / buying office
• Checks & validates marketing claims that may conflict with EU consumer-rights policies
• Approves each development sample and communicates with supplier to proceed with main production
• Works with suppliers / buying office to continually ‘cost out’ products to achieve margin growth based on margin targets given
• Consider impact of taxonomy of products in regards to recipes
• Directs and clarifies the testing needs of items/ranges. Liaises with internal / external stakeholders for the execution
• Fosters cross functional collaboration in internal departmental projects
• Supports Procurement Managers / Sourcing Cost Analyst / Senior Product Development experts in ad hoc supplier related topics
• Assessing Nutritional, digestibility & palatability aspects of pet food ingredients
• Understands the impact of ingredients on the organoleptic parameters and COST of the product
• Analysis of top-selling products/flavors/trends
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the Own brands within his/her category of expertise
• Supporting Quality statements & QA requests
• Supporting Customer Care requests
• Supporting the Innovation team
• Orders sampling of existing and new products
• Operational execution of quality assurance aspects with regards to product safety, marketability, labeling and language informatio