Head of Technical
Kent
£60,000

Job Purpose:

• To continually improve the technical strategy and its framework which is compliant, meets/exceeds the needs of all stakeholders and aligns to wider business objectives
• To drive the CSR and ethical trade agendas, specifically regarding the company’s modern slavery act obligations and ongoing/evolving strategies
• To support the wider technical operation commercially and to oversee technical delivery across the group
• To drive innovation and growth

Key Accountabilities

• Continual development and improvement of a framework that ensures that food quality and safety systems provide assurance that all products supplied by the company are safe, legal and comply with legislative and customer needs
• Work with the Technical team in developing an NPD process that generates genuine opportunity for growth
• Build and maintain strong proactive relationships at senior levels of ethical trade management across the customer base.
• Be an authority and escalation pointing for complex technical issues
• Build goodwill, trust and respect with all senior and operational members of our key supply base, both technical and commercial
• Ensure QC Systems are effective and maintain a commercial focus
• Ensure appropriate Pre-Season/New Supplier Approval processes are in place within the Produce divisions
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to the Company, Team Members, Customers, and Suppliers
• Build, develop and maintain skilled technical teams across the Produce divisions
• Analyse data generated from Technical Managers, relating to internal reports and customer feedback
• Develop and establish processes to ensure that the companies obligations under the MSA, ETI Base Code, ILO regulations and any other relevant legislation or codes of practice
• Work with external agencies to provide support to the company and associated businesses
• Align the company with agencies that are policy forming. As a minimum ensure that the company is represented in this arena at retailer level
• Ensure that risk assessment and supply chain mapping are carried out, providing suitable tools and training for key individuals


Qualifications/ Knowledge & Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a senior technical role, supplying major retailers
• A recognised qualification relevant to the position
• Extensive, hands on experience in managing a safe supply base, customers and interfacing at a senior technical level
• Knowledge of, or experience in, running CSR programs in a multifaceted and global business
• Understanding of all aspects of product flow, from crop to production through to customer delivery
• Hands on experience in Ethical Trade and MSA management programs
• Knowledge of food safety, pesticide & hygiene legislation
• Knowledge of growing systems and management techniques such as IPM, ICMS, HACCP, BRC, GLOBAL GAP
• Additionally, knowledge of SEDEX (ETI Code) is preferable
• Proven people management and development experience
• Demonstration of strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to negotiate with and influence key stakeholders, seeking win-win solutions
• Attention to detail and analytical skills. Accustomed to working with and interpreting data
• Proven time management and prioritisation skills: Accustomed to working with and meeting time critical deadlines
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Accustomed to problem solving and working in an organised and structured way to do so
• Ability to support and train
• Self organised and an ability to plan workload
• Decisive. Flexible. Resilient. Demonstration of a positive “can-do” attitude
• IT skills – highly proficient with Word, Excel and Microsoft Outlook. Experience working with Navision (desirable)