The Product Technical team are looking for TWO Technical Managers to join the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dairy & Eggs team on a fixed term contract managing product and supplier performance to ensure compliance to Waitrose quality, safety, legality and integrity and all relevant Brand standards for categories of higher complexity or size reflective of the level of experience.
Additional Information:
1. Contract type - These positions are Fixed Term contracts: one contract until November 2025 and one until April 2026
Key responsibilities:
1. Delivering the Own Brand Product Plan for the category by supporting the technical elements of all approved projects, and project managing those assigned to technical.
2. Operating in a collaborative matrix way of working across Quality & Technical, Regulatory, Policy & Compliance, Product Innovation, CPG Trading, Marketing, Customer Services, Retail and Ethics & Sustainability to deliver shared KPIs.
3. Identifying opportunities for technical innovation & process optimisation across product ranges and supply chains to create growth and efficiency, improve brand equity and implement best practice.
4. Developing and maintaining robust internal & external networks in order to shape the development of standards relevant to own category and to maintain manufacturing knowledge and implement best practice in supply base.
5. Managing and developing the technical relationship with Waitrose suppliers and identify product or supplier risks within the Category Trading area, establish root causes and develop technical improvement plans to mitigate.
6. Implementing the onboarding and approving of new suppliers in line with Waitrose Technical standards.
7. Ensuring accurate and compliant supplier and site information and product information to the required standard on all applicable systems.
8. Contributing to the development of appropriate technical, legal and brand strategies, policies and standards, in collaboration with Regulation, Policy & Compliance and other relevant teams.
9. Managing product incidents for Own Label lines, with required follow up activity.
Essential skills/experience you’ll need:
1. Degree in food science (or similar) or equivalent experience in Technical within the Food & Grocery industry.
2. HACCP training (Level 3), Lead Assessor.
3. At least 5 years Technical experience within the food industry.
4. Supplier management and technical development.
5. Specialist training e.g allergens, microbiology, pesticide management, cosmetics regulations, specification management and product labelling legal requirements.
Desirable skills/experience you may have:
1. Additional specialist qualifications in specific category or product areas as required.
About The Partnership
We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.
We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
Important points to note:
It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.
We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.
We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.
We believe in ensuring our Partners have access to a complete spectrum of benefits whilst in the business. After all, our Partners make our Partnership what it is.
Learn a new skill or become more proficient in your hobbies by claiming up to half the cost of certain tutored courses which you pay for yourself (up to a maximum of £250 per year).
Partner Discount
25% off at John Lewis and 20% at Waitrose. We know you’d like this one! (some exclusions apply)
Clubs & Societies
From arts & crafts to fishing, from skiing to running, we have so many clubs and societies bringing Partners with shared interests together.
Enjoy a generous holiday provision. Plenty of time for some rest and relaxation. (The amount of holiday you’ll get depends on your role and working hours. It increases over time).
Pension & Life Assurance
Secure your future with our comprehensive pension scheme and life assurance.
Partnership Hotels
Recharge and reconnect at our exclusive Partner hotels in locations across the UK!
Have you already applied for a role?
Log into the Candidate Communication Centre to check your application status.
Receive details of jobs matching your criteria as soon as they are posted.
#J-18808-Ljbffr