Technical Manager

Our client, a global food business, is looking for a Technical Manager to enhance its Bedfordshire-based team in this challenging but rewarding role. The successful candidate will develop, implement and continuously improve Food Safety and Quality Assurance ensuring all products and systems comply with Customer and Regulatory standards and requirements.

Leading a small Technical / QA team on site, responsibilities for the role will include:

•    Leading and promoting the continuous enhancement of Food Safety & Quality culture in the site
•    Leading, developing and motivating the team to ensure they are performing to the highest levels
•    Ensuring systems are in place to deliver food safety, hygiene and regulatory compliance throughout the operation
•    Leading the HACCP process at site and maintaining the site HACCP plan
•    Developing and implementing a GMP programme, identifying opportunities for improvement and the development of plans and systems to deliver the agreed improvements
•    Ensuring that adequate provision is in place for effective site pest control and management of site systems
•    Developing and implementing systems and procedures including but not limited to:
    o    Recipe control
    o    Shelf-life laboratory testing
    o    Continuous improvement
    o    Site-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
    o    Quality monitoring of raw materials and packaging materials, ensuring quality standard and specifications are maintained.
    o    Microbiological testing of product and environment
•    Ensuring regular testing of the traceability system
•    Developing systems that ensure that the site is audit ready every day
•    Managing and supporting all relevant audits, i.e. Internal Audits; Customer Audits; Supplier Audits etc.
•    Liaising with local Environmental Health, Trading Standards
•    Management of product label sign off process

Essential / Desirable skills include:

•    Must be a degree holder – ideally in Food Technology, Food Science or equivalent
•    Significant experience in a Technical / Food Safety & Quality department in Food Manufacturing 
•    Proven leadership skills; experience in leading teams and implementing improvements of Food Safety and Quality processes, ideally as a Technical Manager
•    Customer Management experience necessary – must be confident liaising with customers
•    In-depth knowledge of all aspects of Food Safety standards, with focus on BRC requirements
•    Excellent skills in Microsoft applications, ideally also in SAP
•    Ideally with experience in applying continuous improvement tools (Kaizen, Lean, 6 Sigma, or equivalent)
•    Strong written and verbal communication skills 
•    Drive, commitment, hands-on mentality and strong results-orientation
•    Able to co-ordinate, lead, motivate and organize people, ensuring smooth and effective running of the day-to-day business and of the improvements to be implemented
•    Proven emotional intelligence and influencing skills to overcome issues, together with ability to manage teams and peers, to fulfil the job requirements
•    Able to work under stress and meeting tight timelines

The Company:

•    A Global Food Business with a strong leadership position in its relevant market
•    Dedicated to using the highest quality ingredients to provide an outstanding quality product for the consumer
•    Great career progression opportunities

The salary for this role is highly competitive and includes a car allowance. The successful candidate will be based full time in the Bedfordshire office, with some requirement for UK travel. 

If you are interested, please email AS SOON AS POSSIBLE quoting reference number JJ-P4661 with an updated CV, an indication of your current salary and your availability.