Technical Services Manager

Technical Services Manager 

Are you a qualified internal auditor? Have a lead assessor auditor qualification?
Do you have experience of writing food specifications with knowledge of major retailers’ online specification systems and critical paths?  We are currently recruiting for a technical services manager to join our technical compliance team on a 12 month FTC. This role will cover all 9 sites within Avara and can be based at either our Hereford or Telford site.

We are a leading supplier of Poultry products into an impressive range of customers in the UK retail and food service sectors. With ambitious plans for the future, there hasn’t been a more exciting time to join us.

Join us as a Technical Services Manager and you can be a part of the aspiring team that brings Avara Foods to life.

Purpose of the role
The Technical Services Manager will ensure high quality service within Technical Services ensuring specification and artwork delivery for a range of customers with deadlines being met with consistent accuracy. Working within a team, building relationships across customer, supplier and colleague base. Managing the supplier approval process systems within a fast moving, short shelf life environment.

This role will be office based with some interaction with a FMCG labour intensive factory environment which is noisy and refrigerated in some areas manufacturing short shelf life products where hygiene standards are critical.

Your key responsibilities as a Technical Services Manager will include:

Specification Management
1. Manage the Specifications Technologists and Technical Services Technologist.
2. Manage the generation of retail customer specifications and pack copy information.
3. Internal and external liaison for retail customers.

Artwork Management
1. Manage the artwork approval process for retail customers.
2. Attending print press approvals for printed packaging where necessary.

Supplier Approval Management
1. Approval of new raw material, packaging and service suppliers.
2. Maintenance of supplier approval records, including conducting supplier audits, risk assessments and collating documentation / SSAQ’s etc.

Ethical
1. Technical representative of the Human Rights and Ethics Steering Group.
2. Technical representative / Ambassador for Sedex – generation, review and maintenance of SEDEX relationships with customers and suppliers

VACCP and TACCP
1. Manage the generation of weekly Horizon Scan reports.
2. Complete supply chain and vulnerability SAQ requests from customers.
3. Generation and maintenance of the Avara Raw Material Vulnerability Risk Assessments.

Risk Assessments
1. Generation and maintenance of supplier Gluten Free risk assessments (evidence of compliance to Avara Gluten Free Procedure).
2. Generation and maintenance of meat supplier maps, supporting information and meat risk assessments (evidence of compliance to Module 11 – Meat Supply Chain Assurance).

Supply Chain Maps
1. Generation and maintenance of ingredient supply chain maps and supporting information.

Systems
1. Implementation of the technical section on the new Sharepoint and subsequent maintenance.
2. Maintenance of the Recipe Professor system.
3. Support for the i-Auditor system

Supplier Approval Audits
1. Attending raw material supplier first production runs where necessary to support Supplier Auditor

Site/Departmental Support
1. Providing support during customer audits and visits where necessary.
2. Providing support during BRC audits where necessary.
3. Integration with NPD launch process to ensure seamless launches.

What we are looking for:
• Food related HND
• Intermediate HACCP Level 3
• Internal auditing qualification
• Lead Assessor auditor qualification
• Experience of writing food specifications with knowledge of major retailers’ online specification systems and critical paths.
• Experience of retailer artwork approval systems and in-depth knowledge of the Food Information for Consumers Regulation.
• Excellent attention to detail whilst being able to organise work load to achieve key deadlines.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing at all levels
• Self-motivated
• Leadership skills and experience of motivating teams

A little about us:
We are a leading supplier of chicken, turkey and duck products into an impressive range of customers in the UK retail and food service sectors. We are a fully integrated business controlling the whole product supply chain, which include feed mills, farms, hatcheries and factories with associated transport and logistics functions that employ more than 6000 people.

The growth of our business is based on providing a high quality, affordable product and delivering great service levels to our customers. This is achieved by investing in people, utilising the latest technology and being uncompromising in our commitment to high quality and food standards.

What’s in it for you?
We are committed to making sure our employees reap rewards of commitment and great performance. You will enjoy a secure, supportive and progressive working environment, where your contribution and achievements will be recognised and rewarded
We offer comprehensive training as well as development and career progression opportunities. You can also look forward to benefits that amongst other things include the following:

• Generous Pension
• Private Medical Cover
• 33 days holiday
• Group life assurance
• Various lifestyle benefits

Join us as a Technical Services Manager and you can be a part of the aspiring team that brings Avara Foods to life.

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.