Assistant Quality & Ripening Manager

Fresh People are currently recruiting for an Assistant Ripening & Quality Manager on behalf of a leading Fresh Produce business based in Dartford, Kent. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Quality, Technical or Ripening professional looking to take the next step in their career within a fast-paced Fresh Produce environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in leading daily quality and ripening activities, supporting operational performance, and driving continuous improvement across the site.

Working closely with the Quality & Ripening Manager, you will be responsible for monitoring ripening programmes, making quality-based stock decisions, leading shopfloor activities, and ensuring product quality standards are consistently achieved.

Key Responsibilities Manage day-to-day quality and ripening activities across intake and operational areas. Monitor and execute ripening programmes, ensuring plans are followed and any deviations are escalated appropriately. Make informed decisions regarding stock rotation, product utilisation and waste reduction. Capture and analyse quality performance data, identifying trends and areas for improvement. Lead, support and develop the Ripening team, ensuring daily priorities are understood and completed.

Allocate resources effectively to meet operational and technical requirements. Act as the first point of escalation for quality-related shopfloor issues. Support technical and ripening trials, ensuring accurate execution and data collection. Monitor shelf-life performance and support benchmarking activities. Work closely with Production, Technical and Quality teams to ensure alignment between planning and execution. Lead daily KPI reviews and communicate performance expectations clearly across the team.

Support continuous improvement initiatives across quality and ripening operations.

The Person Minimum 4 years' experience within a Fresh Produce Quality, Technical or Ripening role. Experience making quality decisions relating to stock utilisation, rotation and waste management. Strong understanding of Fresh Produce quality standards and product assessment. Previous experience leading, supervising or mentoring operational teams. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills with the ability to analyse and interpret data. Experience working with ERP systems;

exposure to D365 would be advantageous. Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills. Able to work effectively in a fast-paced operational environment. Excellent communication and organisational skills. Self-motivated with a hands-on approach and strong attention to detail. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing Fresh Produce business where you can make a real impact within quality and ripening operations while developing your career further within the sector.