Technical Manager - Catering Supplies

About this role

Sysco are currently recruiting for a Technical Manager – Catering Supplies to join the Merchandising team on a full time, permanent basis, reporting to the Head of Product Technology. As the Technical Manager for Catering Supplies it is your responsibility to work as part of a designated category team and manage all elements relating to Product Quality, Safety, Legality, and Integrity for a defined portfolio of suppliers and products ensuring a comprehensive technical support service is provided.

Using knowledge of suppliers, products, markets and manufacturing processes to reduce or mitigate product costs and to design and develop innovative, market leading new products and have an active role in leading the packaging agenda to drive continuous improvement and consistency across the business. This role is offering a hybrid working contract, with 1 day per week in our Ashford, Kent office for Team Collaboration, so you must be in a commutable distance and open to travel.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities: Provide support, guidance and expertise to the procurement & category team in context of supplier selection, supplier expertise, product quality attributes and control parameters which will successfully contribute to exceeding customer expectations, growing sales and profit. Support the Constellation initiative to deliver against the annual growth target. Stay abreast of industry challenges, issues and developments, sharing insight within the technical, category & procurements teams to mitigate impact and support sales growth.

Effective supplier management from initial selection & approval through conducting site visits, setting clear technical expectations, providing guidance & support, issuing performance updates and instigate joint business/improvement plans. Maintain the approved supplier database, complete due diligence visits as required ensuring visit reports are documented and all non-conformances are effective closed out. Maintain up to date specifications for all products.

Generate and approve own brand artwork. Instigate product risk management action plan & develop an awareness of emerging issues, escalating within the business to mitigate business and customer impact. Focus on complaint trending, monitoring & root case analysis, working with suppliers to support the annual KPI. Instigate a robust quality assessment programme for product range. Provide support & input to ensure marketing literature is informative for our customers.