Junior NPD Designer

Written By Graeme Eddy

Junior NPD Designer – Retail Gifting & Hampers

Location: Lincolnshire (on-site)

Salary: £30,000 – £35,000

About the Role

This is a high-exposure, early-career opportunity within a fast-growing business operating at the intersection of horticulture, ambient food, and retail gifting.

You’ll work on seasonal and core gifting ranges supplied to major UK retailers, contributing to products seen by millions of consumers. The role combines creative design, product development, and commercial awareness, offering hands-on involvement across the full NPD lifecycle.

Unlike traditional NPD roles, this position is retailer-facing, giving you early experience of how leading retailers shape product ranges, customer propositions, and category strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Design

  • Develop innovative gifting and hamper concepts from retailer briefs

  • Curate product selections (food and non-food) to create cohesive ranges

  • Contribute to packaging design, layout, and visual presentation

  • Create mood boards, concept decks, and internal presentations

End-to-End NPD Lifecycle

  • Support all stages of development: concept - costing - sampling - launch

  • Ensure products are commercially viable and aligned with target margins

  • Manage timelines across multiple seasonal projects

Retailer Collaboration

  • Translate retailer briefs into commercially viable concepts

  • Support presentations and concept positioning

  • Respond to feedback and refine products accordingly

  • Build understanding of retail decision-making (range, pricing, packaging)

Cross-Functional Working

  • Collaborate with technical, commercial, operations, and procurement teams

  • Balance creativity with cost, compliance, and production feasibility

Market & Trend Analysis

  • Conduct competitor benchmarking across UK retail

  • Analyse trends in gifting, packaging, and seasonal categories

  • Participate in store visits and trend research

What Makes This Role Different

  • Direct exposure to major UK retail customers

  • Combination of creative design and commercial decision-making

  • Early involvement in client-facing product development

  • Full visibility of the product lifecycle

  • Strong mentoring from an experienced, collaborative team

Candidate Profile

Essential

  • Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Product Design, or similar

  • Strong creative mindset with commercial awareness

  • Confident communication and stakeholder engagement skills

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Desirable

  • Placement year or internship in NPD, FMCG, retail, or packaging/design

  • Exposure to product development processes

  • Awareness of food safety or production environments

Behavioural Fit

You’ll thrive if you are:

  • Curious about consumer products and retail trends

  • Adaptable and resilient in a seasonal, fast-paced environment

  • Collaborative, with strong relationship-building skills

  • Detail-oriented with a focus on quality

  • Proactive, with a strong sense of ownership

Working Pattern

  • Full-time, on-site role

  • Peak period: September – December

  • Occasional travel for retail visits and trend research

Career Development

This role offers a strong foundation for progression into:

  • NPD / Innovation roles

  • Product Design

  • Commercial or Category Management

  • Retail-facing development positions

Graeme Eddy
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