Technical Manager

Our client is an extremely successful, market-leading food retailer with significant turnover. They operate in a highly commercial environment with a fast-paced culture focused on exceeding customer expectations. This Technical Manager role is newly created and ideal for an individual who wants to progress their career in an environment with progression opportunities. The role was created as part of a company restructuring with plans to expand from 730 to 1000 own brand products over the next two to three years.

Excellent flexible working is offered - 2 days a week in the office and the rest from home, along with flexible hours. Travel to suppliers (UK & Europe) is required as part of the role.

The role involves:

• Looking after the own brand ranges across fresh and frozen products.
• Supporting the process and quality controller to maintain and develop effective procedures for quality assurance, ensuring that all brand quality, food and product safety stage gates are met.
• Maintaining and developing strong supplier relationships, ensuring that all supplier visits are conducted in line with the associated risk.
• Utilising strong relationship management skills with internal and external stakeholders to maximise understanding and collaboration.
• Ensuring that new suppliers are approved on a timely basis.
• Conducting supplier visits in the UK and Europe, performing product audits, managing compliance, and representing the company in industry meetings.
• Staying updated with any legislative changes to food and drink packaging and communicating these to the wider brand team.
• Ensuring ethical trading & sourcing on SEDEX, mitigating any risks throughout the supply chain.
• Being a member of the crisis management team, responsible for sign off and conduction of product recalls and withdrawals, as well as identifying any emerging risks and actioning protocols to mitigate them.
• Ensuring all NPD and EPD meet all quality and safety requirements, working alongside product managers.

The ideal candidate will have:

• 3-5 years’ experience in a technical environment and some exposure to food retail.
• Strong relationship management skills.
• Experience with supplier audits and specifications (ideally retailer specifications and audits).
• Excellent relationship building skills and the ability to communicate and influence with internal and external stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel to suppliers (UK and Europe based) when necessary.
• Fresh and frozen food experience (food experience in general is a must) with hands-on experience of food production methods and processes.
• Experience of auditing suppliers against safety standards, familiarity with GFSI audit standards, and knowledge about managing the impact of food legislation on products.

Benefits include:

• Thriving in a matrix blue chip structure that is down to earth and personable.
• Excellent package – up to £40,000 plus bonus and benefits.
• Location – 2 days a week in the office and the rest from home, with travel to suppliers in the UK & EU in accordance with business requirements.

Please send your CV using the form on this page, quoting reference 16/17320/7. Confidentiality assured. If you do not hear back within 14 days, unfortunately, the relevant consultant has decided not to progress with your application.