Product Development Assistant (FTC-6 Months, Part-Time)

Fixed-term (United Kingdom), Part-time · UK

ABOUT US

ABOUT US

We’re Minor Figures. Founded on a rooftop in 2014 by three friends with a shared love of coffee, MF has since grown into a global brand with a team of over 75 people across the world, with offices in the UK and the USA.

We create plant-based products for coffee lovers, baristas and a better planet. We love teaming up with people as mad about coffee as we are and love nothing more than heading down to their local cafe to enjoy a chat with the friendly & expert barista.

All our products are 100% plant based and vegan friendly. The company is exploding, achieving record sales figures each quarter.

Minor Figures would be nothing without the independent coffee scene and our products can be found in over 4,000 specialty coffee shops worldwide, where we regularly run Freedays and Minor Figures FM events. We’re also expanding fast, with products lining the shelves in major supermarkets in our three core regions and our team achieving record sales figures quarter-on-quarter.

At Minor Figures, we’re passionate about creating a positive impact and we put sustainability at the forefront of everything we do. We’re now a B Corp certified company.

We have big plans for the future of MF. As we continue to grow at a rapid pace, we want to welcome creative, curious, free-spirited, bold thinkers to join us to make that happen. Everyone’s invited. We collaborate, improvise, synchronise. We are wholly authentic, uplifting and constructive. Because magic happens when everyone’s vibing and having a good time. We value individuality and we want you to be yourself. If you share our love for coffee and you want every day you spend at work to feel like your first, we’d love to hear from you.

WHAT’S IT LIKE AT MINOR FIGURES?

The only thing you really need to know about Minor Figures is that we’re all obsessed with coffee. What began with three friends and a conversation on a rooftop in 2014 has since grown into a global team of baristas, analytics, musicians, creatives, activists, operatives, artists, and a whole lot in between. Based mainly across the UK, Australia, and North America, we’re connected by a shared love for specialty coffee - drinking it, making it, and creating the perfect Oat M*lks to pair with it.

Our sustainability ethos guides everything we do. We’re big on creating a positive impact on both people and the planet, which is why we are B Corp Certified.

EVERYONE’S INVITED

We’re all about connection and community – both within our team and within the coffee industry as a whole. Every new addition to the Minor Figures fold brings different skills, unique experiences, and fresh perspectives.

The recruitment and hiring process should be 100% authentic, honest, and welcoming for everyone involved. We want to hear all about you and meet you exactly as you are, both inside and outside of work.

In return, we’ll tell you all about what opportunities will be open to you, the challenges we can overcome together, and the way we see your role enriching the team.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We’re always looking to grow our team in the most meaningful way we can. With a focus on collaboration and flexibility, we don’t look to box people in or set rigid processes.

We make sure everyone feels supported bringing their biggest ideas to the table, pushing boundaries, and approaching their work in bold, unconventional ways. As a fast-growing company, every day can feel like the first - the energy is high, we’re always pushing past new challenges, and it’s incredibly rewarding.

We want to hear all about what you’re passionate about, what you’re best at, and what inspires you. You deserve to tell us about who you are, so please, don’t hold back.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Product quality and innovation are core to our business. This role will support the product testing, evaluation and innovation process. You will work closely with our Head of Product Development (Non-Tech) to ensure all the processes in the team run smoothly and be critical in ensuring that all products that we sell are of the highest quality.

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

We are a scrappy, entrepreneurial business that likes to try new things and test boundaries. Minor Figures are onto something here, but it’s not meant to be simple. You will be joining a team delivering the most exciting drinks innovation anywhere on the planet. Your role will cover but not be limited to:

Sample preparation & management: Preparing product prototypes as part of development projects and working with our key suppliers to co-ordinate samples for testing/evaluation.
Sensory evaluation: Arranging and organising all of our product tastings that support ongoing quality and product development
Laboratory management: Looking after processes, hygiene, equipment and raw material inventory.
Documentation and data management: Collating, managing and evaluating product master data to ensure they meet MF quality standards.
Research: Supporting product market research and competitor benchmarking.
Shelf life Coordination: Co-ordinating and performing shelf-life testing
Sourcing: Assisting in the sourcing of materials needed for product development

ABOUT YOUR TEAM

You will report to our Head of Product Development to create the next generation of products. You will work with our team across the globe but to make sure you get the support you need, you will be part of the EMEA team based in London.

ABOUT YOU

We want people to come into Minor Figures to be a true version of themselves every day. Every day. No matter if you're up, or if you're down, we want people that embrace every day being different. People that can bring the energy, support their team mates when the times get hard, but not hold off from asking for support themselves.

We hire humans, not machines, so let’s look at the key skills that we love to see. People that:

Live and breathe their authenticity and individuality in everything that they do.
Take pride in what they do, and inspire others to do the same.
Have a sense of fun and adventure, along with a hands on & a can-do approach.
Not be phased by constant change and challenges and willing to adapt and implement solutions.
Collaborate like crazy & have a willingness to help in all areas of the business when needed.
Approach every day like it’s day one. Committed, open minded and ready to enjoy every exhilarating second.

You will be a critical point in the process of product evaluation, be responsible for capturing what we learn at every point and enabling us to use them to improve our products.

Your superpowers will include:

Being practical and hands on
Enjoying being methodical and highly organised
Having a great attention to detail and being thorough in everything you do
Being a self starter
Passionate about drinks (particularly coffee)
Resilient and thrives in a fast paced dynamic environment

This is a great role for a graduate or someone who wants to get their foot into product food product development.

Ideally you will have worked in coffee and have a working relationship with Google suite / microsoft office. Barista training is advantageous but not essential.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

We realise that a job is more than just the take home salary each month. So what are you really getting?

And, as part of the Minor Figures team, you’ll have the opportunity to invest in the business, with the option to buy shares in the company at an agreed price. Having skin in the game and really contributing to our success. Because it’s you and us all that do make this all happen.

But of course, we look after you in the other ways that you’d expect:

25 days annual holiday allowance in addition to bank holidays (pro-rated for part-time employees)
Healthcare coverage via Equipsme, which includes GP access, EAP / stress support, dental & optical cash plan and option to upgrade
Statutory 3% pension contribution through Nest
1 day paid leave to support a cause of your choice through volunteering or activism
Flexible working to meet the needs of the role
Cycle to work scheme
30% discount on products from our online shop
Unlimited access to Calm app
All the free coffee and cold brew you can drink!
Vegan, nut-free lunches are available.

YOUR COMMITMENT

You’ll be based out of our office in East London. Due to the nature of this role you will be required to work in the office. The hours of work are 9am - 5.30pm.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

At Minor Figures everyone is welcome. We are committed to cultivating and maintaining a culture that is inclusive and diverse. We celebrate differences and continually support all members of our company to be proud of who they are. In recruiting for our team, we pride ourselves on equal employment opportunities regardless of gender, sex, age, disability, race, religion, sexuality or social class. We hire the best people based on an evaluation of their abilities and effectiveness, nothing else.

WHAT’S NEXT

You’re sold? Are you ready to hit send?

Submit a CV and any supporting documents to us & tell us why you want to work with us at Minor Figures.

Just a heads up, we’re not a traditional team of recruiters and hiring managers. We want to see the human version of you, not just the black & white copy. Our need to find great people needs to be met with a fun and positive recruitment journey, so tell us more about you, however the heck you want.

FOR RECRUITMENT AGENCIES:

For all recruitment agencies: We value the impact & work recruitment agencies have & do. We have people that have worked within & relied heavily on the support of agencies in their career. That said however, we’d really appreciate it if we didn’t receive any unsolicited or out of the blue applications.

Apply for this job

About us

We’re Minor Figures. Founded on a rooftop in 2014 by three friends with a shared love of coffee, MF has since grown into a global brand with a team of over 100 people across the world, with offices in the UK, USA, and Australia. We create plant-based products for coffee lovers, baristas and a better planet. We love teaming up with people as mad about coffee as we are and love nothing more than heading down to their local cafe to enjoy a chat with the friendly & expert barista.

All our products are 100% plant based and vegan friendly. The company is exploding, achieving record sales figures each quarter.

At Minor Figures, we’re passionate about creating a positive impact and we put sustainability at the forefront of everything we do. We’re a 100% carbon neutral and now a B Corp certified company.

Apply for this job

Thank you for your interest in working at Minor Figures.

Let us just jump in before you’ve even hit send on your application to say a huge thank you for your interest in working with us finding out more about what we do. We can’t wait to hear more about you in return.

WHAT’S IT LIKE AT MINOR FIGURES?
The only thing you really need to know about Minor Figures is that we’re all obsessed with coffee. What began with three friends and a conversation on a rooftop in 2014 has since grown into a global team of baristas, analytics, musicians, creatives, activists, operatives, artists, and a whole lot in between. Based mainly across the UK, Australia, and North America, we’re connected by a shared love for specialty coffee - drinking it, making it, and creating the perfect Oat M*lks to pair with it.

Our sustainability ethos guides everything we do. We’re big on creating a positive impact on both people and the planet, which is why we are both carbon neutral and B Corp Certified.

EVERYONE’S INVITED
We’re all about connection and community – both within our team and within the coffee industry as a whole. Every new addition to the Minor Figures fold brings different skills, unique experiences, and fresh perspectives.

The recruitment and hiring process should be 100% authentic, honest, and welcoming for everyone involved. We want to hear all about you and meet you exactly as you are, both inside and outside of work.

In return, we’ll tell you all about what opportunities will be open to you, the challenges we can overcome together, and the way we see your role enriching the team.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We’re always looking to grow our team in the most meaningful way we can. With a focus on collaboration and flexibility, we don’t look to box people in or set rigid processes.

We make sure everyone feels supported bringing their biggest ideas to the table, pushing boundaries, and approaching their work in bold, unconventional ways. As a fast-growing company, every day can feel like the first - the energy is high, we’re always pushing past new challenges, and it’s incredibly rewarding.

We want to hear all about what you’re passionate about, what you’re best at, and what inspires you. You deserve to tell us about who you are, so please, don’t hold back.

Read more about us - https://sourcefiles.minorfigures.com