dpsM&S has grown to become a market leader in the sourcing, production, and distribution of fresh produce to some of the UK's leading retailers. We pride ourselves on the way we do business and understand that we are successful because of our people.

As such we are looking for a superstar Technical Manager based in our Bearsted and Wimbledon office, working full-time. 

Typical duties will include:

• Ensure an ongoing dialogue with suppliers, the fpp 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 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 products are used effectively and efficiently to optimize profit for the business.
• Ensure specs are complete and relevant to what is being supplied.
• Provide recommendations during 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 fpp commercial team end of season reviews documenting overall quality, improvements required, ranking and next steps.
• Complete any customer technical documents as required in a timely manner.
• Ensure suppliers have copies of the customers’ specifications (or quick specs) for the products you are responsible for.
• Ensure that suppliers have copies of packed at source guides for the products you are responsible for
• Assist in maintaining sustainability information on the suppliers for your category.
• Capture details weekly of competitor offers, where required.
• Work closely with fpp product management team and in country resource to ensure technical and quality requirements are understood, so the team can implement at UK and overseas packing sites.

Due Diligence:

• Ensure specs on customer systems are complete and relevant to what is being supplied.
• Working the Technical Compliance Co-ordinator, ensure that all due diligence is collated, maintained and compliant for all your category in supply and that customer approved grower lists are produced and accurate.
• Ensure that all customer technical policies are reviewed (with support from wider technical team) and embedded into due diligence processes.
• Ensure that growers and packers for your areas have up to date fpp approved growers list.

Development:

• Manage the Quality improvement plan for each product area that you are solely responsible for that ties the development plan of the business to the strategic aims of customers. This live document should be used to communicate to the customer and business our continuous improvement as appropriate.
• Work closely with the procurement team for your product areas to design and execute an effective procurement strategy to deliver against all company KPI’s, whilst ensuring that customer technical and quality expectations are delivered.
• Visit growers in the UK and overseas to identify new opportunities for new suppliers, products and supply chains.
• 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 customer artwork and new design developments for your products, ensuring that all aspects of the process are completed in a timely and efficient way.
• Support and drive customer tender opportunities, through using product, sourcing and technical knowledge to inform proposals and strategy.

Sound like the role for you, click apply!