We are looking for a Junior Technical Manager to join our Spec Veg Team!

Purpose of role:

• Assist the Group Technical Director in matters appertaining to product safety, quality, and legality.

• Take specific sole technical responsibility for Tesco spec veg

Technical Management:

• Ensure an ongoing dialogue with suppliers, the dps commercial team to ensure their awareness of the current supply and potential issues and communicate these as appropriate to the commercial team and customer. Have regular and ongoing dialogue with suppliers.

• Ensure that all aspects of product quality, where customer specifications are being compromised, are effectively communicated to the Directors of the business on a timely basis. Providing recommendations as to the action required

• Ensure that customer complaints are trended, and action plans made for improvement.

• In the event of a rejection ensure that the customer technical department is contacted by 0830 at the very latest the following day to provide feedback and discuss next steps to prevent reoccurrences.

• Ensure that all product is used effectively and efficiently to optimize profit for the business

• Ensure specs on Tesco Quality Connect are complete and relevant to what is being supplied, with connected product records created

• Provide recommendations during the daily production meetings.

• Take responsibility for managing the preparation of product for benchmarking and ad hoc sample requests

• Carry out trial work as required

• Ensure that the technical next steps from visits and contact reports are completed

• Communicate to suppliers and the dps technical team end of season reviews documenting overall quality, improvements required, ranking and next steps.

• Complete the weekly trackers for the customers and any other technical documents as required in a timely manner

• Ensure that Tesco suppliers have copies of the specifications (or quick specs) for the products you are responsible for

• Ensure that Tesco suppliers have copies of packed at source guides for the products you are responsible for

• Ensure that Brandbank is up to date with images of the products that you are responsible for

• Assist in maintaining sustainability information on the suppliers for your category.

• Take specific responsibility for the Tesco artwork and new design developments for your products ensuring that all aspects of the process are completed on a timely and efficient way.

• Ensure that all product is used effectively and efficiently to optimize profit for the business

• Work to support the implementation and continual development of Business Objects

Due Diligence:

• Ensure that all due diligence is collated, maintained and compliant for all your category in supply and ASL are produced and accurate.

Development:

• Manage the Quality improvement plan for the product area that you are responsible for that ties the development plan of the business to the strategic aims of the customer. This live document should be used to communicate to the customer and business our continuous improvement as appropriate.

• Successfully identify technical projects to introduce innovation to the business. This will include new varietal development that betters quality and consistency of product and availability, packaging development, new technology and SEEL concerns (sustainable, ethical, environmentally responsible, and local)

• Work closely with Sales, Marketing and Packaging teams to deliver the best new and existing product development through commercially sound reasoning. Use technical and market knowledge to delight the customer and inspire effort and investment from suppliers / growers.

• Take specific responsibility for the Tesco artwork and new design developments for your products ensuring that all aspects of the process are completed on a timely and efficient way.