Senior Category Technologist

Job description

Role Purpose:

To technically lead and manage the technical and CSR aspects of the F&M New Product Development process for Category Own label products and proprietary brands, including supplier approval and specification sign off.
To be responsible for ensuring all products developed and launched meet external commitments, product safety and legal due diligence requirements.
To technically manage our supplier relationships, to manage risk, ensure traceability and to implement and maintain a sustainable supplier quality management system across the F&M supply base.
The role will perform supplier site visits and audits of new and established suppliers. A key requirement of the role is an ability to drive positive changes within the supply base from processing sites down to growing and mining levels.
The role will also coordinate and provide quantifiable metrics to allow the real-time assessment of supplier performance against the businesses Technical & CSR targets and Operational procedures.
The role will also coordinate and provide quantifiable updates on the technical areas of responsibility and will need to influence all area of the business to deliver NPD right first time.
A key requirement is an ability to technically lead and influence a cross functional team. To be able identify and drive positive changes collaboratively and to ensure any technical actions are delivered on time.

Reports to:

Lead Senior Category Technical Manager

Key interfaces:

The role holder will work alongside various departments within Fortnum’s. They will also be instrumental in managing the company’s interactions with its suppliers.

Key Accountabilities:

Operational procedures

NPD

To work with the cross functional teams to deliver technical aspects of the NPD process on time
To provide regular updates on the status of the NPD projects
To ensure the technical aspects NPD are delivered to the standard required
To ensure the Technical. International and CSR strategy and rules are delivered for all new products launched
To maintain and deliver the T&CSR aspects of the NPD critical path
To ensure CSR and technical Briefs are submitted on time and are fully complete
To flag potential issues in advance and so allow resolution prior the projects falling behind

New Product Development

To ensure provisional critical paths created in stage one of the launch process include all stages of the technical approval process, including any upskilling required by the in-house technical team
Ensure NPD product brief contains all technical requirements for the product
All technical stages to be delivered on time and a proactive manner
All new products are assessed, and any new technical requirements fed into the appropriate Technical processes. I.e. operational procedures, surveillance testing, etc.
To have full sign off each NPD Gate (Technical and CSR requirements)

NPD Technical Review (Stage 5) actions

Technical actions to be closed off within the agreed timescales
To be investigated to identify the root cause and corrective actions implemented into business policy if required
Relevant corrective actions to be included in product specification where relevant

Specifications

To be in place for all food and non-food own label and proprietary branded product
To include all legal DD requirements, quality and all relevant information required to facilitate international approval of product (and generation of labels)
To include all information for all business channels
To ensure specifications cover all known risks to the business
All product both OB and Proprietary brands have signed off specifications by on sale date
Specification templates to be appropriate for all product types and supply routes
Clear written guidance to be available for suppliers to aid the completion of specifications
To include a quantifiable QAS requirements (QAS created by buyers)
To include all information required to meet online customer needs and to ensure the product online product has all legal requirements
To ensure specifications contain all information required for the international customers and online ww sales.
To deliver the new Specification system and creating bespoke requirements for the new specification template

Audits

All audits to be carried out to the schedule and all corrective actions followed up and closed off
Audit results to be communicated to relevant managers, in the weekly and monthly reports
Audit results to be trended and correctives actions to be closed off within the communicated timescales
External audits to be carried out to the standards agreed and within the timescales stated in the Supplier Assurance policy

Operational procedures

To ensure internal operational procedures, COP and Policies relevant to area of responsibility, manage current known risks to the business with a specific focus on International law
To ensure these procedures are trained out to all relevant areas of the business and supply chain
To ensure compliance these documents are audited to both internally (quarterly) and reviewed to a predefined risk assessed rota
To ensure all areas have in situ access to the Fortnum & Mason operational procedures
To ensure compliance to these documents are monitored, trended and reported to the business
Ensure all new suppliers are compliant and audited to all relevant operational procedures prior to manufacture and supply.
Ensure supplier compliance to Fortnum and Mason microbiological standards

Supplier Management System

Implement and maintain a supplier quality management system
To ensure CSR requirements and quantifiable targets are trained out and monitored in real time

Due Diligence

To ensure all new product is launched with full legal due diligence (including online and international channels) and traceability and that the other technical team members are informed with sufficient notice of products in the launch pipeline
All areas have access to the latest version of the relevant NPD paperwork

Training

All new Fortnum & Mason staff are provided with training on Technical NPD requirements and the compliance of all staff training to be monitored as part of the internal audits and the delivery of the cross functional Technical NPD requirements
Signed training records for all operational procedures relevant for each colleague’s roles to be collated by the Technical Assistant
NPD and International requirements to be added to the Quick guide introduction for Product Safety at Fortnum & Mason to in place and to be kept up to date
Training schedule and bespoke Fortnum & Mason training in place that trains out the requirements of the operational procedures and provides add on tailored training for the specific needs of the supply base
All new Fortnum & Mason staff are provided with training to ensure an understanding of the supplier assurance rules and relevant internal and public facing commitments (buyers)
Signed training records for all operational procedures relevant for each colleagues’ roles to be collated and held in a way that enable reporting and quick access
Supplier training compliance to be monitored and reported

Surveillance testing

Product surveillance testing requirements to be included in all product specifications. This must include international requirements
Surveillance testing scheduled to be maintained and followed
All relevant products to be tested to the schedule
Fortnum & Mason surveillance acceptable standards to be written, maintained, and communicated to the suppliers and internal food preparation colleagues
Out of specification Internal audit results to be communicated to relevant Managers, in the weekly and monthly reports.
Surveillance results to be trended

General

Master Work and detailed work planner to be kept up to date
Project plans are in place, communicated to the relevant areas, timescales are adhered to and regular updates sent out as agreed
To support other areas of the team as required
Manage Modern slavery and Worker welfare risks within their category
To ensure supplier plans are completed and goals and KPI status in inputted into the online supplier portal for reporting
Report on supplier performance internally
Feed into top-to-top briefing notes (exec director supplier visits and CEO visits)

Qualifications:

Scientific degree or equivalent
At least 3 years’ experience in a technical area in either retailing or manufacturing
Experience in influencing cross functional teams to deliver new processes
Gated development process experience is a key requirement
Supplier auditing experience, specification creation and sign off experience is required

Role Specific Criteria (Experience/Behaviours/Technical Ability)

We expect the successful candidate to have the following skills and experience:

Demonstrate good judgement, drive and influence
To proactively drive the technical agenda and to take a leadership role in all technical matters
Deliver on time every time
To provide accurate and timely information
Manage cross departmental relationships to ensure delivery of technical requirements
Create and deliver long term sustainable relations ships with our supply base
Good understanding of Quality management systems and Food Safety management
Strong questioning and probing skills to discover issues and to verify the accuracy of information, results and data
Ability to drive positive change at supplier locations
Demonstrated troubleshooting ability
Knowledge of product processing equipment and controls
Familiarity with law and regulatory guidelines
Effective written and oral communication skills
Strong project management skills and ability to prioritise own workload
Ability to make timely, consistent and well balanced decisions.

In return, we offer:

A competitive salary
A generous store and restaurant discount of up to 40%
25 days holidays pro rata (excluded bank holidays) and an extra day off for your birthday
A fantastic subsidised staff restaurant which uses Fortnum’s ingredients
A range of opportunities to develop and grow personally and professionally
Excellent pension scheme