Commercial and Quality Manager - Produce - Maternity Cover - 9-12 month contract

Fixed Term - 12 Month contract

Exciting opportunity for a TM or QM to join a global brand as Commercial and Quality Manager Produce for a fixed term 12 month contract, we are ideally looking for someone who can start asap.  

Purpose 

To maximise product quality, food safety and profitability by identifying opportunities for product quality and value improvement, ensuring alignment with brand and category strategies and implementing into markets through the structured gate process for approval and launch and driving improvement in supplier and product performance.  Must deliver value across all European markets.

Accountable for:

• Delivering product improvement, product development and supplier development projects across the category to agreed plan and timescales aligned with category and brand strategy.
• Assessing capability of new suppliers and advising of suitability for approval process and any action required.
• Delivering improved quality performance across category through actioning routine sampling, complaints, incidents and sales.
• Working with key stakeholders to ensure all gate processes are followed.
• Mentoring of suppliers and purchasing teams in understanding and delivering target product and acceptable quality standards.
• Working to ensure specifications and quality attribute sheets contain all relevant product quality, safety and integrity information in line with brand and commercial expectations.
• Ensuring technical plans are aligned with category and brand strategies.
• Carrying out quality assurance and improvement projects as directed by Quality Improvement Manager

Qualifications, skills and knowledge:

• Graduate
• Strong, proven experience in similar role
• Thorough understanding of produce category, food technology, relevant country legislation, food hygiene, audit and quality management systems
• Product management and commercialisation experience in a highly networked environment
• Proven track record of working cross-functionally with key stakeholders
• Self-motivated and able to work as part of a team
• An interest in food (enthusiasm to work with and taste ALL types of food)
• Willing and able to travel across Europe and beyond if necessary
• Auditor and HACCP experience
• IT literate
• Knowledge of Spanish, French or German preferred but not essential
• Strategic/commercial focus; understands business strategies and those of suppliers to ensure robust partnerships; they will be organised with the ability to cope with the demands of a changing and fast-paced environment 
• Initiative/“entrepreneurial” approach; hands-on approach with the ability to think laterally to resolve issues/problems; works independently and operates effectively within a flexible, fast-paced, small business environment