As Product & Campaigns Lead, you will play a key role in supporting the development and execution of Plain Vanilla's seasonal bakes product campaigns. Reporting to the CEO with secondary reporting lines to the Product Strategist, you will oversee product research, costing, pricing proposals, and documentation to ensure that seasonal launches are commercially viable, operationally feasible, and aligned with the brand's direction.
You will serve as the main coordinator between the CEO, Brand Team, and Production Team to translate campaign briefs into clear product requirements and guide the development of flavours, decoration styles, and packaging approaches for seasonal baked products. You will also ensure that campaign products meet the Brand brief and CEO expectations prior to launch.
You will maintain accurate product information across seasonal campaign decks and other key product references, and act as the primary point of contact for product clarifications for the online, store, and operations teams.
You will also support campaign execution through product trend research, sourcing of product appropriate packaging, procurement of specialist production items, and coordination with the Product Strategist on PV Foods forecasting and packaging research where required.
Key Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Seasonal Campaign Product Development
- Conduct research on product trends, including flavours, formats, decoration styles, and presentation.
- Develop seasonal baked product proposals aligned with campaign themes and brand direction, upholding at all times the brand's philosophy and guidelines on baked goods
- Research and propose commercially-sound and brand-aligned flavour combinations, decorations, and packaging approaches for campaign products, taking direction from CEO and Brand Team
- Assist the Brand Team in product research and proposals for new product categories where required.
2. Product Costing & Pricing
- Prepare product costing calculations for seasonal baked products.
- Develop pricing proposals based on costing analysis and commercial considerations.
- Support leadership review with pricing recommendations for campaign products.
3. Product Documentation & Information Management
- Compile and maintain product documentation, including costing and recipes where required.
- Support the ownership and timely upkeep of seasonal campaign decks, ensuring product information is accurate and complete.
- Maintain key product references used across teams (recipes, product specifications, ingredient notes, etc.).
(In the longer term, recipe documentation is expected to transition to the Pastry R&D function.)
4. Campaign Coordination & Product Alignment
- Serve as the main coordinator and liaison between the Brand Team, CEO, and Production Team on product briefs, requirements, and direction for seasonal campaigns.
- Ensure that seasonal campaign products meet the brand brief and CEO expectations prior to launch.
- Support the alignment of product concepts with operational feasibility in production, working closely with the Head of Production and the R&D Pastry Lead .
5. Cross-Team Product Communication
- Act as the primary point of contact for product clarifications for Sales, Stores and Store Operations teams
- Ensure teams have accurate product specifications (including dietary and allergen information), campaign information, and operational (handling) guidance.
6. Product Procurement & Production Support
- Coordinate the procurement of specialist production items, such as tools, moulds, decorations, or specialty ingredients required for campaign items.
- Support the sourcing of materials and packaging required to execute seasonal product concepts.
7. Product Strategy Support
Support the Product Strategist on:
- Forecasting and ordering of PV Foods packaged retail items
- Research and proposals for product packaging
- Procurement coordination and any other product-related tasks where relevant
8. General
- Complete other tasks as assigned by management.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business, Marketing, or a related field.
- 3-5 years of experience in product development, category management, or campaign/product planning, preferably within the F&B, retail, or consumer lifestyle industry.
- Experience coordinating cross-functional projects involving product, brand, and operational teams.
- Strong analytical and documentation skills with the ability to conduct costing analysis, document costing margins and prepare pricing proposals.
- Experience conducting product trend research and competitor benchmarking.
- Strong organisational and documentation skills, particularly in maintaining product specifications and internal product references.
- Familiarity with F&B production processes or café operations is an advantage.
Success Traits
- Curious and commercially minded, with a strong interest in product innovation and food trends.
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail in managing product documentation and campaign information.
- Strong collaborator who can coordinate effectively between Brand, Production, and Operations teams.
- Able to balance creative product thinking with operational feasibility and cost considerations.
- Proactive and resourceful in moving projects forward and resolving operational challenges.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving business environment.
