Our Story

Carman’s is an Australian-owned food company known for delicious breakfast and snack products made with care. We’re ambitious and serious about taste, quality and innovation, and we’re looking for an experienced product development leader to join us for 12 months.

About the role

We’re looking for a Head of Product Development to cover a period of parental leave. You’ll lead our Product Development and Packaging team and own the product pipeline across our Breakfast and Nutritional Snacks portfolios. You’ll work closely with our Executive General Manager of Marketing and our founder.

This is a senior role with real influence. You’ll bring fresh thinking to the innovation pipeline and lift the quality and margin of our core range. You’ll also keep the team performing and engaged while you’re here.

What You’ll Do

- Lead product strategy and the innovation pipeline, covering renovation, incremental innovation and new formats, in partnership with Marketing, Insights and our Founder
- Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team of product and packaging specialists
- Take concepts from idea to launch, delivering products that are commercially viable, scalable and true to our standards
- Drive continuous improvement and cost savings across product, packaging and suppliers
- Manage relationships with co-manufacturers and suppliers, including scoping and onboarding recent partners
- Oversee packaging innovation, compliance and sustainability, including APCO and PREP reporting
- Run innovation workshops and concept testing with our Senior Brand Managers
- Manage the development budget and give clear,



commercial recommendations to senior leadership

What you’ll bring

- 6+ years’ experience in product development in food industry with a track record of successful launches
- Experience leading and developing teams, including technical or packaging specialists
- Strong commercial acumen, including supplier strategy and cost-saving initiatives
- Experience managing co-manufacturers and suppliers
- A solid understanding of the breakfast and snacking market, consumer trends and food regulation
- Strong project management skills and the discipline to deliver many projects at once
- A creative, consumer-first mindset and a genuine passion for health and food
- A degree in Food Science, Nutrition or a related field

What are we offering?

- Hybrid working arrangements (Tuesdays we are all in the office & eat lunch together!)
- Our wellbeing program. This includes free weekly yoga, gym and meditation classes. Team members are encouraged to use the gym at their leisure – we even have a sauna and massage room!
- Free parking directly opposite the building
- Walking distance to Huntingdale train station
- Free, barista-made coffee from the Carman’s Kitchen Store via our Coffee Concierge service and an on-site chef who whips up fresh, healthy subsidised lunches daily
- Free snacks, breakfast, and fruit. You can also take home a bag of Carman’s products each week
- A day off on your birthday
- Half day off quarterly to do your personal chores
- Two doona days per year
- Thursday afternoon drinks!
- Ongoing personal and professional development programs, catered to individual needs and aspirations.

📌 Head of Product Development (Melbourne)
🏢 Carman's Kitchen
📍 Melbourne