Project Consultant, Food & Drink
Location: An office near the beach, Babbacombe, South Devon (Hybrid working)
Salary: Competitive DOE + Benefits + Pension + Healthcare
Would you like to work on international food and drink projects for world-class brands from the heart of South Devon?
THE ROLE:
Business growth has meant that we are looking for an ambitious food and drink professional to join our dynamic team of management, research and strategy consultants.
As a Project Consultant, you will play a pivotal role leading consultancy assignments and will be organised, entrepreneurial, confident and a decisive critical thinker.
Projects are varied and can range from finding a chocolate milk co-manufacturer to developing go-to-market strategies for newly developed snack bars or from taste testing new seafood propositions to delivering UK market entry programmes for overseas brands.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
In this role, you will report to the Project Delivery Director and handle a variety of projects. Your tasks will include guiding clients from initial briefing sessions to successful debriefs. These projects cover a wide spectrum, including:
- Strategic Consulting: This involves areas like Portfolio, Market Entry, Value Proposition, Go to Market, and New Product Development.
- Commercial Consulting: You’ll work on projects related to Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), due diligence, supply chain optimisation, and securing co-manufacturing partners.
While you are not expected to be an expert in all these areas, having some exposure to these area as client or practitioner is beneficial.
PERSON SPECIFICATION:
We are looking for an ambitious professional with a passion for the food and drink industry. You could have a background in product management, marketing, supply chain, technical, or strategic consulting but will have at least 2 years’ experience in the food and drink industry. You are interested in making a move to consultancy side and are keen to take on more responsibility and work on a variety of projects alongside a friendly team.
You also won’t mind some international travel on occasion and want to develop a good work/life balance as part of a BCorp balancing people, profit and planet.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS:
- 2 years + experience in and good understanding of the food and drink industry
- Strong analytical and critical thinking
- Ability to make tough decisions and take responsibility
- Consistently delivering high-quality, organised results
- Adaptability and practical problem-solving
- Maintaining discretion and confidentiality
TYPICAL TASKS:
- Creating and maintaining project timelines
- Identifying and negotiating supply chains including distributors and co-manufacturers
- Developing value propositions
- Statistical analysis and forecasting
- Conducting consumer, competitor, and market research
QUALIFICATIONS:
Likely graduate with 2+ years’ experience in the food and drink industry and a relevant qualification at a higher-level e.g MRS, CIM, IPS would be desirable but not essential (experience and attitude is more important to us than qualifications!)
WORKING ARRANGEMENTS:
This role offers a hybrid working model with remote work on Mondays and Fridays and office-based work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The ability to drive and willingness to travel within and outside the UK for client meetings or events (with expenses covered) is required.
BENEFITS:
In addition to a competitive salary and increasing holiday entitlement (climbs to 30 days per year, plus bank holidays), we offer the following benefits:
- Flexibility: Everyone works differently. Whether it’s early mornings, late nights, or a day at home, we support what gives you energy and makes you effective.
- Office Location: Situated near the beach in South Devon with shared use of a team beach hut.
- Learning and Development: Personal development budgets for resources, books, conferences, and courses. We encourage, and fund, professional growth.
- Financial Wellbeing: Attractive salary, homeworking allowance and bonus schemes.
- Physical Wellbeing: Company funded Gym memberships and Cycle-to-Work scheme.
- Sustainable Transport: EV car scheme with tax and NI benefits + at work charging being developed.
- Enhanced Workplace Pension: (12% scheme, 7% employer contributions)
- Healthcare: Company private healthcare scheme for staff (+ family), inc. allowances for dental work, eye tests, medical tests, outpatients etc.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
We are committed to hiring the right person regardless of background, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, or age. Applicants who are shortlisted will be offered an online interview, and if taken to the next stage, will be followed by a chance to visit the office and meet the team for a more formalised discussion.
Please send your CV to ellen@hra-global.com together with a covering letter outlining your suitability for the position.
ABOUT HRA GLOBAL:
We are a strategy and management consultancy, born out of a love and a desire to improve and innovate the global food and drink industry.
We work up and down the value chain using strong project management, commercial analysis and market research capabilities. Our client base includes retailers, producers and processors in over 30 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the USA.
Unlike many consultancies, we don’t subscribe to the need for long hours in the office. We are a young team who work hard to deliver excellent results for our clients, but we place significant importance on staff wellbeing.
We recognise some tasks are better delivered from home and can give staff more flexibility in their personal lives. What counts is using our time together to collaborate, innovate, ideate, plan, and socialise. We often take a lunchtime sea swim, play a round of tennis, or sample local cuisine and some team members have even been known to paddleboard to work!
If you are eager to expand your career while working on exciting, varied projects within the food and drink industry, then let’s talk. We look forward to hearing from you!
Closing Date – Wednesday 18th October
