Position: Product Technologist

Accountable to: Key Account Manager & Head of Technical

Full Time / Part Time: Full Time (40+ Hours per week)

Department: Technical & Compliance

Location: Western Cape, South Africa

Salary / Paygrade: Confidential

Feel like you're up for the challenge and interested in speaking further? Click here and complete the Apply Now form to start the process.

Job Summary

The Product Technologist is responsible for ensuring the compliance of any products that CTG supplies to its customers. They are to be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) across product, supplier, factory & process. They must be well versed in Customer Initiatives (Good Business Journey etc) as well as their Brand Guidelines (A-List, Free Range, Sodium, Packaging Recyclability). They will be responsible for a number of day to day administrative responsibilities such as customer complaint investigations, maintaining information accuracy in customer databases, generating monthly trending reports, and agent/supplier audit preparation. There will also be a heavy focus on legislative compliance (certifications & nutritional claim validation) as well as ethical compliance (SEDEX, SMETA) too. We are looking for a hardworking and dynamic team player who will thrive in an exciting and challenging environment and exposure to key retail customers.

The main responsibilities of this position will include:

  • Provide ongoing technical support to current suppliers and customers.

  • Meeting with retail customers and suppliers for general project update recaps, QC sessions, BIC tastings, factory site visits etc.

  • Prescreen products to ensure that they meet country & customer brand guidelines.

  • Conducting adhoc product quality reviews to ensure that all products in our portfolio meets the criteria outlined in the quality contracts/specifications.

  • Prescreen manufacturing sites to ensure they have the appropriate audits & certifications that meet customer requirements.

  • Collect, review and consolidate data/information for department use in special projects or reports.

  • Review & scrutinize product specifications.

  • Spearheading & managing the roll out of customer related projects & initiatives across our entire supplier base (sodium reduction, packaging recyclability etc).

  • Assist in artwork compliancy review – verifying the accuracy of ingredients, nutritionals and allergens as well as requesting validations from manufacturing sites for product claims used on pack.

  • Assist with identifying root causes to customer complaints & queries.

  • Providing support & guidance to manufacturing sites where customized development is required by the customer.

  • Maintaining department documents, database & information integrity.

  • Assist in reviewing & signing off on finished product (gold seal) samples.

  • Maintaining accurate, up to date information in our customer portals.

  • Assist in the preparation of customer required manufacturing site audits.

  • Assist in the implementation of our Quality Management System.

  • Assist in the preparation of customer required agent audits.

  • Assist in co-developing the CTG technical strategy; including guidelines, policies and standards, and embed it within the business unit and overall CTG business practices.

  • Being well-versed in customer related initiatives & policies by attending customer workshops/presentations and relaying pertinent information back to the technical business unit in the US.

  • Manage local supplier base & any potential development for export to some of our developing markets (USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa).

Qualifications & Experience Requirements

  • B.S. in Food Science, B.S. in Culinology, or equivalent.

  • 5 years’ experience in the food industry.

  • Computer literacy: Word, Excel, Powerpoint.

  • Ability to learn quickly and work with minimal supervision.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

  • Ability to work diplomatically and professionally with both suppliers and retailers.

  • Excellent analytic and problem-solving skills.

  • Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.

  • Proven time management ability.

  • Attention to detail.

  • Understanding of food safety guidelines and regulations (GFSI, HACCP etc.).

  • Experience of international travel a plus.

Personal Attributes

  • Consistently operate with the highest of integrity.

  • Demonstrate passion and commitment to excellence for our customers, our organization, fellow team members as well as South Africa (foster true transformation and sustainability).

  • Demonstrate a commitment to high performance; being output driven, goal oriented, adaptable, and focused on performance feedback.

  • Effectively work alone, or in a team scenario.

  • Be a creative and out-of-the-box thinker; and be able to bring simple and creative solutions to the table.

  • Foster a spirit of technically-led product innovation.

  • Possess strong negotiation skills.

Other

  • Comfortable & experienced with international travel (valid passport & ability to travel).

  • Sensory evaluation skills; possess the ability to distinguish and articulate ingredients, product quality, flavor profiles, and product attributes.

Feel like you're up for the challenge and interested in speaking further? Click here and complete the Apply Now form to start the process.