Technical Manager

Overview

Role Overview: As the Technical Manager, your primary responsibility is to ensure Cocoba's adherence to stringent quality standards, regulatory requirements, and technical standards throughout the production process. You will provide technical expertise, strategic direction, and leadership to the quality team, driving continuous improvement initiatives for product safety and quality while ensuring compliance with industry-specific technical standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Specification Management:

• Provide technical oversight in reviewing and requesting raw material and packaging specifications.

• Evaluate and approve final product specifications, ensuring technical accuracy and compliance.

• Guide the compilation of customer-specific documentation and specifications, overseeing their alignment with technical requirements

 • Supervise the loading of specifications onto customer portals, including M&S FIND, to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Quality Assurance:

• Offer technical guidance for conducting daily checks on finished products, labels, and expiration dates, ensuring adherence to technical specifications.

 • Provide expertise in addressing and managing non-conformances, both internally and externally, employing technical insights for effective resolution.

 • Review and strategize responses to concerns raised by production or packing teams regarding online quality, implementing technical solutions where necessary.

Document Management:

• Lead the review, update, and creation of food safety and quality documents, procedures, and policies, ensuring technical accuracy and compliance with internal and external standards such as BRC.

• Oversee the maintenance of accurate records of microbiological and allergen results, providing technical guidance for compliance.

Audits and Compliance:

• Direct internal audits, providing technical leadership in identifying areas for improvement and managing non-conformances.

 • Coordinate and oversee customer audits and SALSA certification processes, employing technical expertise to implement corrective actions and ensure compliance. • Strategize and implement technical solutions in response to feedback from customer and SALSA audits, driving continuous improvement in quality performance.

Supplier Management:

• Provide technical oversight in communicating non-conformances to suppliers and managing long-term supplier audits (BRC), ensuring technical requirements are met.

• Guide the assessment and approval of incoming packaging against approved printer's proofs, employing technical knowledge for accuracy.

• Oversee the review and approval of supplier-provided documentation, ensuring technical compliance.

Customer Interaction:

• Offer technical expertise in responding to wholesale and online customer complaints and queries, ensuring technical accuracy and timely resolution.

• Collaborate with the sales team, providing technical product information and addressing technical queries effectively.

 • Participate in NPD meetings, offering technical insights and supporting launched product sample collection.

Artwork and Labelling:

 • Provide technical feedback on product artwork, ensuring compliance with technical requirements and regulatory standards.

• Oversee the creation and updating of product labels for in-house printing, ensuring technical accuracy and alignment with specifications.

• Coordinate with suppliers for the technical review and approval of product artwork, ensuring compliance.

Collaboration and Training:

• Provide technical guidance and support to internal teams, such as production, packing, and M&S Technologist, ensuring alignment with technical requirements.

• Conduct occasional practical training sessions for production and packing staff, imparting technical knowledge and skills.

• Actively participate in management and NPD meetings, offering technical insights and strategic direction.

Reporting:

 • Oversee the compilation and submission of monthly management reports, ensuring technical accuracy and relevance.

• Collate traceability information for M&S and handle sustainability questionnaires, providing technical insights and data.

Continuous Improvement:

 • Lead proactive identification of areas for improvement in processes, offering technical solutions and implementing necessary changes.

• Utilize feedback received during audits and meetings to drive continuous improvement initiatives, enhancing overall technical quality performance.

 

Qualifications and Skills:

• Degree in a related technical field (e.g., Food Science, Quality Management).

 • Relevant technical certifications (e.g., BRC) are highly desirable.

• Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills, with a technical focus.

 • Attention to detail and analytical mindset, with a strong technical orientation.

• In-depth familiarity with food safety regulations and technical standards.

• Extensive experience in the food industry, particularly in technical quality management roles.

This role requires a blend of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and proactive problem-solving skills to ensure the highest levels of product safety and quality are maintained and continuously improved.