Technical Manager ( Fruit

Job description

Our client is a well known company in the Fresh Produce Industry.

They are looking for a Technical Manager to join their team based in Kent. The Technical Manager would have a strong background in the Fresh Produce Industry, with experience in Technical and Compliance.

Key Responsibilities :

Supporting the Head of Technical on working as part of the technical team

Manage products and customer specification maintenance and issue

Working with different customer platforms and maintaining them up to date in accordance with the business and customer needs (supplier approval, temporary specifications, etc.)

Complaints and rejection management – investigating, resolving, updating internal non-conformances

Creating and distributing to customer weekly crop reports

Supporting and working closely with the QC Team in the absence of the Quality Manager

Regular visits (once per week) to third party packing facilities conducting product inspections and producing quality feedback to the business

Assisting with maintaining all technical documentation and keeping it up to date as required

Label checking and approval for packed at source product

Liaising with at source Technical Management Team

Conducting monthly site GMP’s

Conducting inductions for new starters

Conducting yearly refresher training for all members of staff

Keeping training records up to date and advising on when a member of staff is due to be trained

Leading the SMM meeting

Visits at source

Customer exposure

Issuing, closing and tracing the status of all internal non-conformances

Preparing and analyzing data for SMM (rejections, etc.)

Conducting bi-weekly benchmarking and GAP Analysis. Products will be advised by Commercial Director and Head of Technical

Effectively analyzing the benchmarking and market gap analysis and distributing to customers the insights and results

Creating, recording and keeping up to date temporary spec tracker

All admin tasks that may require attention (PPPL creation, platform and due diligence maintenance. etc.)

The Technical Manager will also be involved with the QC Team in the packhouse. This will involve covering the QM when off or on annual leave (looking after the QC function in the packhouse, supporting the team, etc), helping with the administrative desk based tasks (due diligence, supplier and grower approvals, dealing with customers, etc) and will cover a small part of the site compliance, such as monthly GMPs, internal audits, non-conformances, inductions, etc.

Requirements :

Experience with in the Fresh Produce is essential (fruit and veg)

Food Safety, Food Quality, QMS, BRCGS

Ability to work confidently within a team, in a fast-paced environment

Strong IT ability (Microsoft Office programs; Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Strong organizational skills, good attention to detail and a methodical approach with strong ability to prioritize

Knowledge of BRCGS, product specifications, customer complaint management and customer needs

Experience of working with retail customers

Spanish speaking is desirable

Driving License is essential

Key relationships :

Reports to :
Head of Technical

Commercial / Procurement

Quality Manager

Job Information / Environment :

• Mainly office-based working in a team
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Working to strict deadlines in a time critical environment
• Team player
• Accuracy

Salary :
Depending on Experience

Hours :
Sun-Thu (Fri and Sat – off), Working hours 8.00am – 5.00pm, a degree of flexibility is required