Junior Product Technologist

Listing reference: 025767 Listing status: Online Apply by: 28 July 2026

Position summary

Industry: Wholesale & Retail Trade Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain Location: Cape Town Contract: Fixed Term Contract Remuneration: Market Related EE position: Yes

About our company

Clicks Group

Introduction

To drive, protect and enhance the Clicks brand by taking responsibility for ensuring all products developed and sourced as part of the NPD development plan and subsequently sold in our stores have integrity and at a minimum meet the local and international quality, health and safety requirements whilst constantly striving to deliver increased profitability and grow market share.

Job description

Key Responsibilities: Manage Quality, Safety & Legislation

• To support the NPD team within their development plans to ensure quality, safety and compliance across all PL development by adhering to legislation and NPD approval processes to protect the brand reputation and financial impact on the business
• You will use your scientific, regulatory and technical expertise in the relevant category area to develop formulations/products from concept to manufacturing scale-up, delivering right first time, on time
• Implement the CTSO into the business and the supplier base and maintain all quality processes and correct paperwork. Update the CTSO with new quality processes and protocols
• Utilise the regulatory system to ensure correct administration of documents and compliance to regulation.
• Product specifications and RAG process kept for each product and database maintained
• Ensure product specifications conform to the quality standards
• Accountable for investigating customer complaints and identifying and delivering on-going product and technical process improvements.
• Responsible for customer complaints/queries, red alerts, public product recall and product withdrawals
• Write quality protocols/SOP’s procedures and manuals for all categories (health, beauty, confectionary, electrical and home ware)
• Review and communicate TQM results to relevant stakeholders (including customer complaints, quality control results etc)
• Report and feedback on quality timeously
• Ensure the China QA office is used for all export requirements and the RAG process is followed
• DC release process to be implemented for all high risk/new launches
• Prepare on going and timeous sales, quality and corrective action reports (including scorecard, supplier scorecards) for management through drawing, analysing and interpreting accurate data
• Lead regulatory change – to manage new legislative requirements into the categories, communicate and ensure total compliance of this within product and packaging developments
• Technical training – product and process training new product launches
• Attend regulatory meetings

Manage NPD & Costs

Assist with bi-annual competitor quality review report

Manage relevant technical information to enable final sign off of projects for product and packaging compliance

Lead technical product/ingredient/process and packaging innovation

Find a unique position of Clicks top brands through technical innovation

Co-ordinate and present new innovative ideas/ingredients and packaging trends every 6 months

Adherence and input to critical project path

Export – project framework/plan to retrofit product into international rules and launch timeously

Provide input at concept stage to inform NPD buyers to make an informed decision at development stage

Scrutinise open book costings and identify opportunities to optimise costs and challenge fixed costs related to technical aspects for products (Value Chain Optimisation) re-engineering of products

Tender evaluations – product/packaging and price

Manage Suppliers & Inventory

Regular audit scorecard to be obtained from an approved local and international supplier list annually

Corrective action plan presented to key stake holders and implemented

Build up good working relationships with suppliers to benefit from key learnings

Resolve critical raw materials/sourcing issues

Understand the impact of low or no in-fills on the categories and resolve issues of quality/capacity

Minimum requirements

JOB RELATED SKILLS* Excellent planning and organisational skills

• Ability to work on multiple projects and across teams
• Intermediate knowledge of cosmetic and toiletries formulation, development, manufacture and quality processes to lead innovation in these categories.
• Intermediate knowledge of product packaging
• Computer literacy – Word, Excel level 2, Outlook and Power Point
• Administration skills
• Project management skills
• Quality orientated
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• excellent knowledge of Cosmetic legislation with Personal Care and Cosmetic product development, formulation, quality management and supplier auditing experience.

JOB EXPERIENCE* Excellent knowledge of Cosmetic legislation with Personal Care and Cosmetic product development, formulation, quality management and supplier auditing experience

• Ability to use technical know how to solve problems and create business ooportunities to enhance consumer value.
• Ability to work within multi-functional teams, effectively build relationships with potential technology/research partners and communicate new regulations/technologies to non-technical team members.
• Ability to owrk with a high level of autonomy with a sound understanding of value chain impact

EDUCATION

• Graduated in Science with more than 3 years’ experience in Product Development and Formulation with manufacturing knowledge.

JOB RELATED COMPETENCIES

• Leading and Deciding
• Supporting and Cooperating
• Interaction and Presenting
• Analysing and Interpreting
• Creating and Conceptualising
• Organising and Executing
• Adapting and Coping
• Critical Path Management

We also encourage people with disabilities to apply.