Food Technologist - Retail

at  Jamie Oliver Group

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Set up by our visionary founder, The Jamie Oliver Group is a global and integrated food brand with a mission to help build a healthier, happier world through the joy of food.
From media and restaurants to products, partnership and Ministry of Food, every part of our diverse business has a key role to play in making it easier for people to cook and enjoy better, healthier, more sustainable, and joyful meals. Whether that’s in our homes, in restaurants or workplaces.
As a proud B Corp, we are committed to educate and inspire people, workplaces, schools and communities all over the world, to help make better choices, one meal at a time.
At The Jamie Oliver Group we celebrate the fact that everyone is different and we treat every colleague with dignity and respect. We know that diverse and inclusive teams help us deliver our best work, and we love to see applications from groups who are currently underrepresented in the creative industries.

POSITION

We are looking for an enthusiastic, experienced and flexible Food Technologist to join the Jamie Oliver Technical team. This person will be responsible for all the technical functions for the retail side of the Jamie Oliver business. They will also be the first point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders and ensure that all of our products meet our requirements for food safety and animal welfare. This is a fast-paced, reactive role, so the ability to problem-solve and remain calm and cheerful under pressure is essential.

REQUIREMENTS

• An excellent understanding of food law and legislation, especially when it comes to labelling requirements
• A background of working in manufacturing and the retail environment
• Good working knowledge of animal welfare and food certifications across all proteins
• Knowledge of NPD processes and procedures
• Previous experience in the nutrition and food sector
• The ability to always remain friendly under pressure (particularly when deadlines are approaching)
• To be a team player - the Technical team is a close-knit team where the ability to work well together is vital

• Ensure supplier compliance to our online supplier and specification management system
• Evaluate the supply base of raw materials used across the Jamie Oliver Group in terms of food standards and food safety
• Work with suppliers and NPD teams to ensure retail products meet our nutritional requirements
• Ensure that all raw materials affected by the Food Sourcing Standards are supported by the relevant traceability information
• Be involved in the NPD process from development to launch, working with internal teams to ensure successful product launches
• Manage the artwork process with suppliers and ensure artwork meets our internal requirements and legal specifications
• Keep up to date with market trends through store visits and regular benchmarking of products
• Conduct monthly in house quality taste panels to ensure compliance to specification, feedback issues and concerns internally and to suppliers
• Organise and facilitate tastings of development samples and feedback results and comments to licensees and internal parties
• Manage the complaints for both food and non-food, investigating complaints with suppliers, responding to customers and creating trend reports for internal stakeholders
• Research relevant areas for the Jamie Oliver Food Standards document and advise team of any necessary additions, changes and/or updates
• Attend first production runs and quality panels at supplier sites, this may involve the occasional night shift
• Manage the food safety of the staff kitchen, ensuring that staff are trained, HACCP documents are correctly maintained, corrective actions implemented and documentation filed