Head of Technical

Head of Technical

c. £80,000 + Car Allowance

South East

Job Reference: GG/7806

This is a key role with a Fresh Produce company in the South East. The company has experience phenomenal growth over the last few years and are about to open a second site.

The Head of Technical is a hands-on role and your goal will be to create an industry-leading Technical function.

The Role

• Ensure that the product meets food safety, legal, quality and customer requirements.
• Deliver the day-to-day, every day. Effectively and proactively manager the teams to deliver the required service level for customers.
• Lead the Technical, Quality and Ripening. Recruit, lead, motivate and inspire direct reports to achieve personal development and continual improvement objectives. Ensure an organisational structure is developed and that talented people are recruited, retained and that a succession plan is in place. Ensure that all costs are budgeted and that the service is delivered in line with budget.
• Understand and own the quality process through the business and drive improvement to move from QC to QA.
• Provide an effective interface between the company and the retail customers, hosting visits and providing key representation at events.
• Ensure accurate information is communicated in a timely and effective manner to customers and across all areas of the business.
• Champion and challenge the technical systems, standards and the QMS to ensure they remain robust, effective, industry leading and fully compliant to food safety, legality and quality standards at all times.
• Chair and lead the HACCP, TACCP and Quality Culture improvement teams.
• Engage with customers and internal teams to drive performance across all areas with specific focus on creating centre of excellence activity within the Technical, Quality and Ripening areas.
• Ensure that there is clear and accurate Technical and Quality performance reporting in place.
• Actively contribute to the delivery of the business strategy with the Executive team.

The Candidate

• Proven experience in a similar role.
• A flexible approach and ability to adapt to new opportunities that may be outside current experience.
• Self-organised with the ability to plan a workload with changing priorities and still deliver to customer deadlines.
• Thrives in fast pace environments where negotiation and the ability to reach mutually positive solutions is key.
• Data led and systems literate, comfortable embracing new technologies and solutions
• Comfortable understanding detail and working with people at all levels of the business to understand the challenge and find a solution.
• Excellent relationship builder with the ability to communicate with externa ad internal stakeholders and maintain diplomacy.
• Project management experience and track record of project delivery with the ability and drive to see things through to completion.
• A good understanding of food law, retailer requirements and accreditation standards (BRC/Organic/ Red Tractor).
• Degree-level education or relevant experience.

Next Steps

To apply for this role, please contact Gilbert Gregory at Silven on either 0161 832 7463 or gilbert.gregory@silven.co.uk quoting reference GG/7806.