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- Tasks: Lead technical strategy and ensure quality in produce across the UK and Spain.
- Company: Join Asda and IPL's innovative technical leadership team.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 33 days annual leave, and comprehensive health support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on food safety and quality while driving innovation.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in produce leadership and strong knowledge of food safety systems.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Join Asda and IPL's technical leadership team, where quality, innovation, and customer trust are at the heart of everything we do. As Senior Technical Manager, you'll lead the retail and in-country agronomy teams across the UK and Spain to deliver safe, legal, and high-quality Asda Brand produce.
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm
Location: Asda House (Flexibility to travel across IPL sites required)
Contract Type: Permanent
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Lead Technical Strategy: Ensure food safety, legality, and quality working closely and collaboratively with the teams at both IPL and third-party sites, aligned with UK and EU legislation.
- Champion Quality & Innovation: Support NPD for Prepared Produce, and lead varietal development with all key suppliers. You will support packaging innovation to elevate Asda's quality credentials.
- Embed Consistency: Drive certification, shared standards, and continuous improvement across suppliers and sites.
- Influence & Collaborate: Represent Asda with DEFRA, DAERA, and other enforcement bodies, shaping policy and promoting best practice.
- Drive Supplier Excellence: Build strong supplier relationships where technical input is integral to procurement and agronomy decisions.
- Apply Commercial Acumen: Make informed decisions through a commercial lens, balancing quality, cost, and customer expectations to support business growth.
- Stakeholder Management: Build strong internal and external relationships, influence senior stakeholders, and support the delivery of strategic objectives.
- Lead with Purpose: Foster a culture where technical teams thrive, coach for excellence, and balance quality and cost to deliver for customers and our business.
What are we looking for?
- Essential: Minimum 10 years' experience in a produce leadership role.
- A solid understanding of produce quality, innovation and food safety and being able to demonstrate improvement.
- A degree in a food-related discipline (e.g. Food Science, Food Technology, Agriculture) - Desirable.
- Proven experience working with produce assurance schemes such as Red Tractor, Leaf, etc.
- Experience of working with Fresh produce consortium and the Chilled food association through partner suppliers.
- Strong knowledge of food safety systems, compliance, and retailer specifications.
- Understanding of food resilience / horizon scanning risks in your area of expertise – with experience of delivering solutions that meet customer and stakeholder expectations.
- Ideally, experience working within a vertically integrated supply model.
- Demonstrated experience of working directly with suppliers, influencing quality, compliance, and innovation.
- Strong commercial awareness and the ability to align technical decisions with business strategy.
- Excellent stakeholder management and a passion for driving quality through data and insight.
What's in it for you?
At IPL, Forza, and Kober, we're dynamic businesses, dedicated to fostering the development of our colleagues and creating an exceptional work environment. We believe in the power of teamwork and collaboration to drive our success. To continue our growth, we're seeking individuals who embody our values, culture, and commitment.
In return, we offer opportunities for professional development, a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- 15% Asda In-store Discount
- Annual Bonus Scheme
- 33 days Annual Leave – Inclusive of 8 days bank holiday
- Enhanced pension scheme
- Life Assurance – All colleagues benefit from life assurance of 4 × their annual base salary
- Help@hand – Free, direct access to health and wellbeing support service, including unlimited video consultations with a UK-based GP 24/7, physiotherapy, and mental health support
- Grocery Aid – We've partnered with Grocery Aid to provide our colleagues and their families with a wide range of emotional, practical, and financial support services
- Electric Vehicle Scheme
- Asda Mobile Discount – 30% off a wide range of Asda Mobile bundles and add‐ons for our colleagues and one of their family members
- Discounted health assessments – We have exclusively negotiated rates on Self‐Pay BUPA Health Assessments for you and members of your household
- Asda Pet Insurance discount – Up to 10% Discount
- Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) – MAB can provide fee‐free, no‐obligation mortgage and protection advice
- Exclusive Exchange Rates via Asda Money – our colleagues can get a better exchange rate for their travel money when buying currency through Asda Travel Money (TravelEx)
- Ride‐to‐work scheme – We work with Evans to provide our colleagues with great savings across their range of bikes, clothing, and equipment
- Care Concierge – The Care Experts. Talk to us – we're listening – Legal & General's Care Concierge resource
- Plus, lots more! Depending on job band, other fantastic benefits are also available including private healthcare, car allowances, and long‐term incentive schemes.
About Us
Our purpose here at IPL, Forza & Kober is simple – we are one team who creates exceptional value for our customers and our mission is to support Asda on their journey to becoming #2 in the marketplace. Through our people we live and breathe our values and we play to our strengths, but we also support each other's development. We are a community of passionate individuals who possess a wide variety of skills and expertise, who work collectively to form a high performing team.
We are committed to a fully inclusive business that is representative of our customers, locations and the communities we serve. We recognise the value in diversity and welcome applications from all candidates regardless of sex, age, race, religion, gender or sexual identity and socio‐economic background. We are committed to making IPL, Forza and Kober a place where everyone can enjoy a successful career and have systems in place to support all our colleagues. We are seeking applications from candidates who share our values, culture and celebrate diversity in all its forms.
Our culture is our people and our people are our culture!
Senior Technical Manager (Produce) employer: IPL International Procurement and Logistics
Contact Detail:
IPL International Procurement and Logistics Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Technical Manager (Produce)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Senior Technical Manager role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Asda and IPL thoroughly. Understand their values, recent innovations, and challenges in the produce sector. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Bring examples of your past successes in food safety, quality improvement, and supplier management to the table. Use data and insights to back up your claims and demonstrate how you can add value to the team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our dynamic team at Asda and IPL.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Technical Manager (Produce)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Technical Manager role. Highlight your experience in produce leadership, food safety, and innovation. We want to see how your background aligns with our mission at Asda!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about quality and innovation in produce. Share specific examples of how you've influenced supplier excellence or driven technical strategy in your previous roles.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Quantify your successes where possible, like improvements in food safety compliance or successful NPD projects. We love seeing how you’ve made a real impact!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with our dynamic team!
How to prepare for a job interview at IPL International Procurement and Logistics
✨Know Your Produce Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of produce quality, food safety, and innovation. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experience that demonstrate your understanding of these areas, especially in relation to UK and EU legislation.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Senior Technical Manager, you'll need to lead teams effectively. Prepare to share instances where you've successfully led technical strategies or influenced stakeholders. Highlight how you fostered a culture of excellence within your teams.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Acumen
Be prepared to discuss how you've balanced quality, cost, and customer expectations in previous roles. Think of examples where your commercial decisions positively impacted the business and how you can apply that to Asda's objectives.
✨Build Relationships with Suppliers
Since supplier excellence is key, come ready to talk about your experience working directly with suppliers. Share how you've influenced quality and compliance, and be specific about the partnerships you've built in the past.