Senior Development Chef

JOB TITLE: Snr Development Chef
REPORTS TO: Head Development Chef 
LOCATION: Bristol Innovation Centre 

BENEFITS:         
•    Competitive basic salary 
•    20 days holiday (pro rata) 
•    Your birthday off  
•    Health care scheme 
•    Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
•    Other company benefits 

HOURS:         9am-5pm Monday-Friday (occasional flexibility may be required)

Purpose of role:
In this role you will be required to develop commercially viable, creative & innovative products which drive growth both in value and volume for our key strategic customers. 

The Company 

FSC is a family business with more than 30 years of award-winning experience in creating, rolling out and managing bespoke customer food-on-the-move solutions. Our customers include a selection of blue-chip companies in various industries, such as Shell Dunelm, National Trust and Waterstones.

We adopt an Agile project management workflow & mindset. Working in smaller focused teams allowing for the project to travel through key milestones efficiently and proactively. 

Responsibilities

•    Creative development of new recipes aligned to customer briefs; demonstrating understanding of customer policies/ brand standards.
•    Understanding of operational capabilities with key customer outlets with a view to improve operational simplicity through concept offer
•    Identifying gaps and opportunities leading to pro-active ‘blue sky’ development creating solutions to stretch our categories and business growth
•    Sourcing of new ingredients from national and international suppliers & understanding supplier capability. 
•    Manage the NPD kitchen ensuring excellent standards are maintained at all times including food safety and hygiene standards are maintained and all records are well documented and up to date.
•    Responsible for kitchen stock control liaising with suppliers, managing sample request and supplier feedback.
•    Motivates and inspires the business to new higher levels of food & ingredient quality.
•    Creating and presenting products with confidence at customer tasting meeting and taste internal taste panels.
•    Having final product sign off from a quality perspective.
•    Participate in brainstorm sessions and bring to life bank of ideas & focus development.
•    Lead product tasting to provide the team with feedback & thought suggestions for improvements where needed.
•    Participate in brainstorm sessions and bring to life bank of ideas & focus development.
•    Support the NPD teams with repeat sampling when required and conduct relevant shelf life testing and heating trials.
•    Completion of accurate recipes within internal systems, working with the NPD teams to ensure product feasibility for manufacturing sites  
•    Establish & build relationships with key customer contacts.
•    Attending and contributing to the daily stand-up meeting within the Agile frame work to discuss planned and completed work tasks, and assist team by removing blockers where possible 
•    Promoting a positive friendly ‘can do’ attitude within the department 
•    Attendance at selective food exhibitions/ shows/ seminars and summarisation of interesting ingredients/ trends/ products found that could be of use across the business. Then sharing inspiration & findings with key customers.
•    Attendance of corporate events and functions, as and when required.
•    Ability to identify and forecast new food trends within market categories.
 
Personal attributes/Skills

•    Inquisitive approach to food and manufacturing with an ability to identify new food trends 
•    Excellent organisational skills
•    Computer literate
•    Highly numerate
•    Good food presentation skills
•    A self-starter
•    Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
•    Relishes working in a fast-paced environment in a hands-on capacity with a problem-solving mindset. Supports a culture on continuous improvement
•    Has a natural can-do attitude and attention to detail
•    Shows initiative, enthusiastic and positive
•    Creative/Innovative personality
•    Ability to cost a recipe
•    Has ability to learn to use new software quickly eg recipe costing
•    Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
•    Willingness to travel to suppliers/clients or between offices
•    A valid UK driving licence is essential
•    Permanent Right to Work in the UK

Qualifications (academic and work-related) 

Essential 
•    Education from a food-related college e.g., NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery 
•    Food Hygiene & Food safety qualifications up to Level 3

Experience 
•    Previous experience as an NPD chef in a leading role
•    FMCG industry experience
•    Strong understanding of a food manufacturing environment 
•    Customer facing presentation skills
•    Passionate about food and ingredient quality
•    Food photography experience