Salary: £37,500
Location: Derby
Type: Permanent

 

2fawcett are recruiting for a Technical & Food Safety Advisor to join a market leading manufacturing business in Derby. You will lead the technical operations at head office and outlets, ensuring that products consistently meet the highest standards of quality and food safety. This involves implementing and maintaining rigorous quality and food safety policies and procedures, regularly reviewing and improving these to adapt to new challenges and regulatory changes. The role also includes leading and motivating the technical team, ensuring compliance with all relevant food safety regulations, and providing ongoing training and support to staff to maintain these high standards.

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Compliance and Legislation:

• Ensure that the bakery meets all safety and regulatory requirements.
• Stay up to date with changes in food safety legislation and implement necessary updates.

 

Quality Management System (QMS):

• Develop, implement, and maintain the company’s Quality Management System.
• Ensure that the QMS is continually improved to meet the highest standards of quality and food safety.

 

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points):

• Lead the HACCP team and sign off on the HACCP document.
• Ensure that all HACCP procedures are followed and updated as necessary.

 

Hygiene and Housekeeping:

• Advise on hygiene and housekeeping practices to ensure products are produced in a food-safe environment.
• Provide guidance on factory fabrication and food handling practices.

 

New Product Development (NPD):

• Advise on improvements related to requests from the NPD team.
• Participate as a team member in new shop openings or shop refits with respect to food safety.

 

Audits and Inspections:

• Prepare for third-party audits, including local authority inspections.
• Manage all visits and audits related to food safety and compliance.
• Liaise with Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and Trading Standards Officers (TSO) following recommendations and site visits.

 

Customer Complaints:

• Manage and respond to customer complaints.
• Establish ongoing continuous improvement activities to reduce consumer complaints and improve process control.

 

Technical Support:

• Manage and coordinate the technical administration team.
• Provide technical support to the retail and production teams.
• Conduct supplier audits as required.

 

Internal Auditing:

• Control internal auditing processes.
• Ensure that non-conformances are recorded, investigated, and communicated appropriately.
• Implement corrective actions for any non-conformances identified.

 

Product Launches:

• Manage technical aspects of product launches, including shelf-life determination, production flows, and creation of all technical documentation.

 

Micro Testing and Pest Control:

• Manage the site micro testing schedule and pest control plan.
• Lead microbiology efforts and manage pest control via contracted pest control companies at head office and outlets

 

Training and Development:

• Develop and manage staff training plans for all matters relating to food safety.
• Provide leadership and direction to personnel, ensuring they are trained, supported, engaged, and focused.

 

Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrate proven experience in a quality or technical role, ideally within the food industry.
• Adopt a flexible approach to work hours to suit production needs and achieve goals.
• Lead and motivate a team to ensure efficient operations, including daily tasks and requirements.
• Apply a sound logical decision-making process rather than emotional reactions.
• Manage time effectively to achieve production targets within set timeframes and under pressure.
• Exhibit excellent analytical and numerical capabilities.
• Lead and develop a growing team through effective people management.
• Provide leadership and direction to personnel, ensuring they are trained, supported, engaged, focused, and delivering their potential.
• Support active staff involvement, aligned towards employee engagement throughout the business.
• Utilise experience with Quality Management Systems (QMS), internal and external auditing, and collaboration with Operational, Retail, and NPD teams.
• Possess a good knowledge of and experience in third-party accreditations (SALSA or BRC) and food legislation.
• Demonstrate strong organisational, communication, and analytical skills with good attention to detail.
• Exhibit strong leadership and people management skills.
• Engage at all levels with confident communication skills and an appreciation for high standards.