Technical Manager

Technical Manager - Oxfordshire, Witney

Exciting opportunity for a Technical Manager to join a well-established family run business based in Witney. This is a great career opportunity for a Technical Manager to work within a company that continues to expand and develop within their industry in the Food sector.

As the Technical Manager, you will be responsible for the continuous development of the food safety and quality management system, as well as the maintenance of the BRCGS Food Safety certification while supporting the Sales and Procurement Teams by liaising with suppliers and customers on technical issues.

Reporting into the Commercial Director and working closely with the Management team to ensure all Food Safety, Quality, and Legal requirements are controlled and met.

Key Responsibilities of Technical Manager

1. Audit and maintenance of food safety and quality system documentation, specifically all records, document control, and ensuring all QA checks are carried out to the required standard.
2. HACCP Team Leader ensuring the HACCP system remains fully implemented, monitored, and reviewed.
3. Preparation and presentation of a monthly technical review to the monthly management meeting.
4. Management, training, and motivation of staff carrying out technical functions.
5. Assessing training needs of all staff with respect to quality, authenticity, legality, and food safety issues and then delivering staff training where required, including induction training.
6. Enforcement of hygiene and housekeeping disciplines in conjunction with plant supervisors and managers.
7. Internal audits including monthly food safety audit, traceability, and recall tests. Referral of audit results to the management team.
8. Response to customer queries and complaints including logging information, investigation, trend analysis, and reporting, liaising with Sales and Production Teams, and implementation of corrective actions.
9. Hygiene auditing and working with the Operations Manager to resolve any non-conformities or failures to ensure the plant is cleaned to an acceptable standard.
10. Preparation for and participation in customer, second- and third-party audits and implementation of corrective actions where applicable.
11. Participation in new product development including HACCP, laboratory testing, shelf life, and organoleptic assessment.
12. Participation in management of allergens including risk assessment of new products and ingredients, control of allergens in the plant, maintenance of the allergen matrix, and verification of allergen labelling.
13. Management of supplier information including the up-to-date approved supplier list, self-assessment questionnaires, certification, and specification maintenance.
14. Generation of new labels and review of existing labels to confirm they meet legislative requirements.
15. Participation in generation and maintenance of specifications.
16. Organising external and internal calibration of measuring equipment.
17. Overseeing effective pest control.
18. Provision of customer information including information for tender documents, completion of supplier assessment questionnaires, allergen matrices, and nutritional information.
19. Commissioning laboratory testing and interpretation of results.

Qualifications Essential / Desirable

1. HND / Degree in Sciences, ideally a food science related subject.
2. Level 4 Food Safety Management.
3. Experience in the meat industry.
4. Sound understanding of all aspects of UK Food Law.
5. Ability to implement and drive improvement programmes.
6. Sound understanding and experience of the latest version of relevant standards and schemes including BRCGS.

If this sounds like the next career move for you, please get in touch to explore this further!

Jodie Wilson