We are seeking an experienced FMCG Process Manager to join the existing team of a highly successful Food Manufacturing company. Reporting to the Technical Manager, the successful candidate will oversee the delivery of all products, managing a team of technologists, taking ownership of NPD projects, ensuring regulatory standards are upheld, and ensuring that product launches are successful. You will also be responsible for driving process improvements and developments, liaising with customers and clients, and leading improvement plans. The successful candidate must have proven leadership experience in Food Manufacturing or a similar FMCG environment managing processes of short shelf life. A HACCP certificate and a qualification in Food Science or a similar subject is highly advantageous but not essential.

Key Responsibilities:

• Effective planning and management of the process team as a key business resource and function. Leadership of effective trials.
• Attend feasibility meetings and feedback or escalate any builds/observations in a timely manner.
• Management of the Packaging Technologists ensuring adequate technical specifications exist for all packaging. Associated databases are up to date at all times and any additional supplier controls are monitored.
• Management of the maintenance of required trial records.This will include all information required for recipes, specifications and costings. Ensure a ’Product File’ is completed for each product and that data is provided for the final product specification within relevant time scales including technical requirements and in accordance with the customer and site critical path.
• Ensure Recipe Professor Workflow projects are completed in line with critical path.
• Manage the interaction with the finance department in providing information to achieve accurate product costings, communicating any NPD or EPD recipe changes.
• Interface with relevant internal departments and customer technologists to ensure products are presented and meet quality standards demanded and agreed.
• Plan and manage effective and professional customer pre-production visitsand launches with clear plans, agendas, objectives and actions recorded.
• Ensure achievable and detailed QAS / Quality contract sheets are created by team to fit customer and bakery requirements.
• To be proactive in dealing with any production issues following recently launched products in conjunction with other departments.
• Ensure customer deadlines for trials and samples are met and that customers are sent samples of trials for assessment – Includes packaging trials and transit trial management.
• Liaise closely with the technical teams, purchasing teams and finance teams to achieve technical compliance for all products, ensure raw materials and ingredients are ordered on time, technical validation of micro and shelf life.
• Maintain the appropriate systems for new product and new process trials e.g., launch matrix & critical path.
• Build a strong relationship with the manufacturing teams, NPD teams and customers to ensure ownership and pride in the launch of new products from the first trial.

Essential Experience / Qualifications and Attributes Required:

• Recent, proven Technical Leadership experience within food related manufacturing operations.
• Proven track record of leading a team and diverse technical and process activities.
• Ability to interact with high profile customers.
• Previous experience of retail stage and gate processes.
• Knowledge of cook/cool validation processes.
• Full job description available on application.

Highly Desirable Qualifications:

• A Degree / HND or equivalent in a relevant science discipline.
• HACCP

If you have the relevant experience as detailed, please submit an up to date CV by using the ‘apply’ button.

For an informal chat about this position please call Samantha Luxton on (phone number removed).