Our client is a global market leader of Fresh and Frozen produce, due to their increasing demand, growth, and development they are seeking to employ Customer Technical Manager to be based at their Kings Lynn site.
However, a driving licence is essential as the successful candidate will be regularly attending their Boston site also.
Reporting directly to the Technical Director.
This role comes with a very attractive and competitive salary depending on experience.
Hours will be Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm however, must be flexible to accommodate customer visits, trade shows etc.
Company car or excellent car allowance.
Other benefits include:
20-day holiday plus B/H in the first year, increasing to 26 plus B/H
Healthcare Cashback Scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
Salary sacrifice Pension – 5% employee contribution and 3% employer contribution.
Salary sacrifice Electric Car Scheme
Cycle to Work Scheme
Sports and Social Club Membership
Overall, Purpose/Objectives of Role:
Responsible for the technical interface with a selection of customers, ensuring all technical aspects and requirements are met and exceeded to ensure the company’s business. To ensure that products that are supplied, meet the customers’ expectations, quality, brand integrity and food safety controls at all times.
The role:
Managing and developing customer relationships, being the key point of contact on site for specific customers.
Proactive in resolving queries, product quality issues and customer complaints, identifying root cause and corrective action plans.
Develop a proactive working relationship with the customer’s technologists and the supplier based technical managers.
Plan, manage and host Customer visits and audits to site (with support from the site technical teams)
Carry out site audits at both Kings Lynn and Boston to ensure compliance with customer technical standards / audit requirements.
Complete to a high degree of accuracy and within required timeframes, customer specifications and QAS.
Work with the PDM in the preparation and attendance of all trials and first production runs
Communicate new product launches to the site operational teams.
Communicate customer technical requirements to the business, sites, and technical team.
Complete and submit on time, all customer KPI reports.
Complete received questionnaires and spreadsheets from customers within the required time frame, ensuring data submitted is accurate and appropriate.
Respond in a timely manner to customer visits and/or audits where issues / non-conformances are raised supporting the site Quality Manager’s
Driving a program of continuous improvement across the site to ensure the sites are ready for any planned/unplanned audits.
Supporting and promoting a food safety and quality culture to ensure best practice across the site.
Work closely with and support members of the Commercial team to ensure customer requirements are met.
Attend conferences, product assessment panels and NPD submissions.
Attend relevant customer training opportunities.
To carry out any other tasks as agreed and requested by any member of the SMT and other ad hoc duties.
Competency area
Essential for the role
Proven track record in quality/technical management within a high-speed frozen food manufacturing environment with UK retailers.
Must have experience of working with M&S
Strong knowledge of GMP, BRC and HACCP standards
Extensive knowledge and experience of working with the major retailers, operating to strict quality standards
Demonstrable understanding of customer requirements (especially Retailers)
A working knowledge of food safety principles.
Internal audit trained, both GMP and compliance audits.
Level 3 Award in Food Safety and HACCP.
Desirable
Degree in Food Technology / Science
Experience with SAP.
External audit experience e.g. Supplier approval audits
Personal Skills required for the role:
Computer literate – competent user of Microsoft office and customer portals.
Excellent communications skills: written and verbal as appropriate with all departments and at all levels.
Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
Proactive and self-motivating.
Excellent planning and organisation skills
Have a positive ‘can do’ attitude.
Ability to use own initiative and ‘to do the right thing’.
Flexible – must be willing to travel and work out-of-hours when business demands
Full driving licence – travel across sites is a pre-requisite