Leads end-to-end food product development and commercialisation, including reformulation, supplier coordination, pilot trials, sensory evaluation, shelf-life validation, nutritional analysis, food microbiological testing, and restaurant rollouts. Manages product specifications, vendor assurance, technical documentation, and cross-functional delivery while balancing cost, operational impact, quality, and GYG Clean Food standards.
Company Description
At Guzman y Gomez Mexican Kitchen, our mission has always been to reinvent fast-food. We’re Australia’s only fast-food restaurant to be 100% clean, meaning there are no added preservatives, artificial flavours, added colours or unacceptable additives in our food. We’re incredibly proud of our amazing people, and the unique way we celebrate Mexican culture in everything we do.
Job DescriptionShape the food eaten by 1 million+ guests, weekly!
Reporting to the Head of Quality and Product Development, the Product Development & Commercialisation Manager drives GYG's product development process end to end — from ingredient changes and reformulations through to full-scale commercialisation. You'll work hand-in-hand with Culinary, Marketing, Restaurant Solutions, Operations and our vendor network to bring new food to life without ever compromising on GYG's Clean Food standards.
What You'll Do
- Coordinate and execute Product Development projects against GYG Food priorities — balancing COGS, operational impact and the business calendar
- Partner with existing and new suppliers to secure the resources, equipment and capability GYG needs
- Review product specifications to ensure every new food and beverage item meets GYG's Clean Food definitions
- Lead product cuttings, pilot trials and restaurant shakedowns
- Own shelf-life and holding-time validation, including transport trials and reference materials
- Manage nutritional analysis and food micro testing in partnership with the Food Safety Manager
- Project manage supplier bench samples and upscaling, including trial production runs and performance data analysis
- Support Procurement in vendor assurance — onboarding, certification (incl. HACCP) and ongoing supplier relationships
- Maintain master data including product/raw material specs, approved substitutes, allergen and nutrition information
- Hand over signed-off products to Restaurant Solutions and Operations, keeping technical documentation current
What You'll Bring
- 5–7 years' experience as a Food Technologist, ideally from within a factory environment, quick service restaurants or other similar environments operating at scale
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology (or equivalent), eligible for AIFST membership at Professional level
- Strong project management and data-driven, evidence-based process capability
- Experience in sensory evaluation methodologies and statistical concepts
- A strong understanding of flavours and flavour concepts
- Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate technical detail for stakeholders at every level
- A high level of proficiency with the MS Office Suite and various project management software packages
- Willingness to travel locally and interstate to support restaurants and vendors (including a valid Australian drivers licence)
What You'll Love
- The opportunity to join one of Australia's fastest-growing restaurant companies
- Real impact in a Supply Chain function that's investing heavily in its capability
- A competitive base salary range of $130k to $150k + super
- Annual short-term incentive scheme (achieve up to 10% of base salary per annum)
- GYG restricted shares, earned each year through our long-term incentive program
- Up to 5 weeks of annual leave each year (ask us how!)
- Paid parental leave
- Genuine traditional and non-traditional career advancement options (e.g. opportunities to become a franchisee and own your own GYG restaurant)
- A vibrant Surry Hills office, a short walk from Central Station
- Hybrid work environment – 4 days in office, 1 day WFH
Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Apply now to start the conversation.
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