Food Technologist: Vegetables and Value-Added Produce - Pick n Pay

Job Advert Summary

To ensure product range, product specification, quality, packaging, and food safety requirements are adhered to.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Building Supplier relationships & verifying suppliers’ adherence to regulations, standards and PnP requirements
• Effective management of product and packaging information in terms of accuracy, relevance, availability and adherence by suppliers to specifications, regulations, and PnP standards
• Assist with new product developments through factory trials, product analysis (chemical, microbiological and physical analysis).
• Ensure that quality standards are being maintained at all stages of the supply chain
• Product Quality and Food Safety Management
• Manage Customer Complaints
• Ensure that product range remains up to date & relevant to industry and stay up to date with industry trends
• Search for improvement in order to achieve better results through new ideas, methods and approaches
• Assist with new product developments through factory trials, and product analysis (chemical, microbiological and physical analysis)
• Effective management of product specifications in terms of accuracy, relevance, availability and adherence by vendors
• Maintain an organized category through time management, effective administration & saving onto SharePoint
• Attend supplier meetings with buyers, providing supplier product or facility information
• Conduct product benchmarking
• Store visits to assess the quality

Minimum Requirements

• Food Technologist diploma or postgraduate degree with 2-5 years’ experience in the relevant food related field
• Strong understanding of Fresh Produce and category-specific legislation.
• Production knowledge of High Risk / Ready to Eat is essential.
• Ability to integrate food safety aspects into product development process
• Must be familiar with the applicable regulations (DAFF); Standards (SANS) and industry-related guidelines (CFA)
• Must be computer literate (MS Office Programmes)
• Must be familiar with R146 Labelling act to be able to complete packaging briefs

Competencies

• Ability to constantly identify discrepancies, inconsistencies, and mistakes.
• Controls Quality and Standards
• Results Orientation/Drive
• Initiative
• Be able to gather reviews and interprets information to identify trends, draw conclusions, and generate appropriate responses
• Need to be able to work systematically, thorough, and independently
• Ability to work together in a spirit of cooperation and teamwork
• Able to establish and maintain relationships with all stakeholders
• Always searches for improvement in order to achieve better results through new ideas, methods, and approaches
• Positively influences the opinions, attitudes, and behavior of others