Concept Trials Manager - (Food To Go)

Concept Trials Manager (Food To Go) 

Attractive Salary, Benefits, Bonus & Company Car

36.5 Hour week (Hybrid)

Newtownabbey

Who are we?

At Henderson Group, we are proud to be Northern Ireland’s leading foodservice provider. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property. We employ over 5,500 staff and have been placed 5th in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2024.

We're a family-owned team that cares about our people and the community in which we live. Our leaders care about employees, and our employees succeed together and celebrate the success of others. We are interested in your aspirations, interests and skills and we strive to support and inspire you to do well.

A look into the role

Henderson Wholesale is a leading Wholesaler in Northern Ireland and supplies goods to over 500 stores across various brands such as SPAR, EUROSPAR and VIVO. We source from local farmers, growers and producers and are proud to contribute to our local economy and environment.

We achieved Gold accreditation against the Investors in People standard framework in 2023 in recognition of people management excellence and our commitment to investment in people.

The Purpose of the role:

The Food to Go and In-Store Bakery categories are undergoing significant transformation and growth. This pivotal role will help drive operational efficiency, generate actionable insight, and support the delivery of innovative new concepts across our retail estate.

You will contribute to both the strategic and operational development of new Food to Go and Bakery initiatives, ensuring they meet world-class standards. The role holds responsibility for designing and delivering robust trials of new concepts, using data and analysis to inform decisions on wider rollout.

You will also be accountable for achieving agreed sales and margin targets in line with KPI objectives.

Working as Concept Trials Manager you will:

Concept Trials & Innovation

• Manage the Implementation of new concepts at store level and support store teams to optimise workflows and labour efficiency
• Evaluate in-store trials to assess the commercial and operational viability of new concepts.
• Analyse performance data and develop dashboard reports based on agreed success criteria (sales, margin, labour and participation) and provide clear recommendations on rollout.
• Contribute operational insight to NPD development and ensure concepts align with operational standards.

Service & Implementation

• Drive best practice in launching new products and concepts through training and clear communication.
• Coordinate communication plans across key stakeholders.
• Ensure new concepts deliver a high-quality, customer-focused food offer in store.

Standards & Compliance

• Develop and deliver training and implementation programmes to set stores up for successful trials.
• Provide structured feedback and identify opportunities to improve products, processes, equipment and service.
• Maintain and enforce high standards of food safety and operational excellence.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with store, area and development teams to deliver initiatives effectively.
• Act as a key point of contact for stores, supporting problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Present trial findings and insights to senior stakeholders to support decision-making.
• Work with suppliers and partners to maximise operational effectiveness.

Commercial & Cost Focus

• Support delivery of sales, margin and cost targets.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve efficiency and enhance profitability.
• Provide feedback on market competitiveness and performance opportunities.

Passion for Food

• Demonstrate strong food handling knowledge and attention to detail.
• Inspire store teams to maintain high standards and embrace innovation.

Skills for Success

Joining us as Concept Trials Manager the minimum criteria you’ll need is:

• GCSE English and Math’s (or equivalent) at grade C or above
• Minimum 1 years’ experience within a foodservice operational role
• Proven experience managing targets and controlling costs
• Demonstrable commercial awareness with a track record of delivering against KPIs
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Packages (Outlook, PowerPoint & Excel)
• A full, valid UK/Eu driving license

The Attributes you’ll need include:

• Strong practical problem-solving skills
• Highly analytical, with the ability to interpret data and generate clear insight
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Customer-focused, with the ability to motivate and inspire teams to deliver outstanding service
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently to identify opportunities and drive improvement
• Able to inspire and engage others, promoting high standards and strong performance
• Confident presenting data, insights and recommendations to a range of stakeholders

It is Desirable if you have:

• CIEH Level 3 Certificate in Food Safety Supervision for Retail or equivalent
• Previous experience working in Convenience retail Food To Go or quick service restaurant environment
• Experience in Food Development / New Product Development (NPD)
• Demonstrated success in launching new products or leading change initiatives
• Project management experience within Retail or Foodservice environment

Are we right for you?

As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by.

Ambition – We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better.

Customer First – We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities.

Teamwork – We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills.

Integrity – We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity.

The Reward

The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business supporting defibrillator installations and school sports days. In the last year Henderson group staff and retail stores raised over £1 million for charity partners.

You will have the balance necessary to enjoy your job and your life. We will help you to feel proud of what you do and achieve.  And we will be here to celebrate your success.

Our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment.  We value employee development and heavily invest in our people.

Benefits include market competitive salary, company car, bonus, contributory pension scheme, healthcare, life assurance, employee assistance programme, social club, Reward Gateway Employee Recognition & Discount Scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company-owned stores and many more.

This is a full-time position working 36.5 hours per week. Working hours will be 8:45am-4:45pm Monday to Thursday and 8:45am-3:45pm Friday. Hybrid and flexible working arrangement available. Travel required daily between stores across Northern Ireland

If you'd like to speak with us before making your application, our Talent Acquisition Specialist - Joanne McClelland would be happy to have a confidential chat with you about the role on offer - email joanne.mcclelland@henderson-group.com to get in touch.

*Applicants should note that we reserve the right to apply the desirable criteria if required at shortlisting stage

Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight Tuesday 17th March 2026

We are an equal opportunities employer.