Senior Category Product Technologist

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.

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:

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.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Store discount

Flexible Language Requirement:

• English not required

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: 001987