About us:

As a Fortune 50 company with more than 400,000 team members worldwide, Target is an iconic brand and one of America's leading retailers. At Target, we have a timeless purpose and a proven strategy and that hasn’t happened by accident. Some of the best minds from diverse backgrounds come together at Target to redefine retail in an inclusive learning environment that values people and delivers world-class outcomes. That winning formula is especially apparent in Bengaluru, where Target in India operates as a fully integrated part of Target’s global team and has more than 4,000 team members supporting the company’s global strategy and operations.

Joining Target means promoting a culture of mutual care and respect and striving to make the most meaningful and positive impact. Becoming a Target team member means joining a community that values diverse backgrounds. We believe your unique perspective is important, and you'll build relationships by being authentic and respectful. At Target, inclusion is part of the core value. We aim to create equitable experiences for all, regardless of their dimensions of difference. As an equal opportunity employer, Target provides diverse opportunities for everyone to grow and win.

A role with Food Product Development means being on a team of project managers, engineers and food scientists who create products that truly embody the intent of Target-owned brands. Can you help ensure that our product specifications are complete and capture the critical attributes needed to uphold our quality standards?  Do you love to manage and organize data to enable information sharing and drive efficiency?  Can you help facilitate packaging and specification development with vendors to ensure that product commercialization so that executional excellence is achieved? Then you will have success on our talented and innovative team.
 

As a Senior Analyst in Food Specification & Data Management, you will play a pivotal role in supporting Owned Brand Food & Beverage teams by creating and managing product specifications for all of F&B Owned brand products. You will lead efforts to define process best practices, optimize processes, and integrate products, enhancing the Food Product Development team's specification capabilities to world-class standards. Your responsibilities will include driving operational efficiencies, streamlining processes, and maximizing productivity by leveraging Spec management tools and capabilities.

You will oversee the transfer and improvement of processes for managing data collection and workflow with vendors and teams, ensuring timely completion of product specifications and overseeing the execution and launch of products through meticulous management of item-tracking grids, specifications, packaging file management, and finished product review processes.

Building strong cross-functional relationships with food scientists, vendors, sourcing teams, and buying teams will be essential in improving operational flows across processes, technology, and interaction models, thereby tracking progress across critical work streams.

Core responsibilities include:

• Creation of Finished Product Specifications: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure specifications are comprehensive, consistent, and released promptly. Anticipate and prioritize projects effectively in response to changing business demands, providing timely and relevant progress updates to stakeholders.
• Management of Finished Product Specifications Process: Enhance capabilities in specification creation and management to achieve excellence in quality management. Assess business processes to gather, translate, and prioritize requirements. Identify process improvements through metrics and analysis, focusing on areas like first pass accuracy percentage. Lead, plan, and execute projects within specified timelines, demonstrating expertise in both process and technology to troubleshoot issues and drive resolutions.
• Content Management & Governance: Oversee database management and apply governance measures to maintain accuracy and relevance of records. Synthesize and analyze data points to derive insights that inform OB PD&Q team and leadership, driving improvements and influencing strategic decisions.

As subject matter experts, you will be responsible for documenting all process and product changes and leading training sessions for new hires, as well as mentoring peers in the team.

Core responsibilities of this job are described within this job description.  Job duties may change at any time due to business needs.

About You:

• A Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, or a related field.
• Over 5 years of hands-on experience in food product development or quality management, with advanced proficiency in quality management systems, product development practices, and specification development.
• Understand product development and specification guidelines, requirements, and protocols ensuring the security and confidentiality of proprietary product information.
• Proficient in system and technology applications, including data management systems and Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint).
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and specification management software enhances capability in managing comprehensive project workflows and ensuring seamless integration across platforms.
• Action-oriented and results-driven, demonstrating flexibility and agility to manage projects effectively under tight deadlines.
• Proven track record in collaborating with contract manufacturers and vendors to ensure the quality and consistency of products as per design specifications.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, adept at managing relationships with cross-functional teams, key business partners, technical resources, and subject matter experts across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Competency in project management, with the ability to structure ambiguous problems, analyze complex processes, synthesize data, and drive insights and solutions.
• Expertise in developing strong partnerships and stakeholder management, excelling in teamwork, communication, collaboration, and initiative to influence effectively across various levels.