The opportunity you've been waiting for
Every ingredient that arrives at the Walker's Shortbread Aberlour site has been checked, questioned and signed off by someone. This role makes you that someone, with the seniority to shape how it's done.
As Senior Food Technologist, you'll sit at the centre of supplier approval, working side by side with the Supplier Quality Manager and Technical Director. There's no team to manage on day one. As the department grows, that's exactly where this role is heading.
How you'll make your mark
Key deliverables
- Recommend, approve and monitor ingredient suppliers and materials using a risk-based approach.
- Review certification, audit reports and specifications, and challenge anything incomplete.
- Keep ingredient specifications, declarations and approval records accurate and current.
- Coordinate ingredient analysis with internal and external labs.
- Run traceability and mass balance exercises, and investigate any gaps they reveal.
- Respond promptly to food safety alerts, supplier notifications, non-conformances and emerging supply chain risks.
- Support supplier investigations, root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.
- Approve ingredients and suppliers for NPD, alternative sourcing and business continuity projects.
- Prepare evidence for internal, customer and certification audits, and complete follow-up actions.
- Keep up to date with food and labelling legislation, retailer codes of practice and certification standards.
- Improve supplier approval processes, documentation standards and ways of working.
Senior responsibilities
- Be the senior point of contact for supplier approval, specifications, compliance queries and technical issues.
- Guide and coach colleagues in the Supplier Approval team day to day.
- Help the Supplier Quality Manager with workload planning, prioritisation and departmental improvement.
- Represent supplier approval in cross-functional meetings and supplier discussions.
- Take on designated team members as the role develops, including workload, development and performance support.
What you bring
- A degree, diploma or equivalent in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline.
- Experience in a food, packaging, supplier quality or similar technical role.
- Practical experience of supplier approval, specifications, legislation, certification requirements or retailer and customer standards.
- Strong technical knowledge of food ingredients or food-contact packaging, and the willingness to develop across both.
- Knowledge of HACCP and BRCGS, FSSC 22000 or another GFSI-recognised programme.
- Sound, evidence-based and risk-based judgement on complex technical information.
- The confidence to challenge incomplete or inadequate technical information.
- Experience working across Technical, Procurement, NPD, Operations and the external supply base.
- Accuracy, organisation and the ability to prioritise within demanding timescales.
- Competence with Microsoft Office and electronic specification or document management systems.
Useful extras
- Approval experience across both ingredients and food-contact packaging.
- Knowledge of food-contact compliance documentation and packaging or labelling legislation.
- Experience of branded product and retailer codes of practice.
- Experience of supplier auditing, traceability, mass balance or corrective action management.
- Supporting ingredient or packaging approvals through NPD and EPD.
- Experience of coaching, supervising or managing colleagues.
- A track record of improving supplier approval systems, documentation or team processes.
What's in it for you
- 38 hours per week, 8am to 4:30pm and 8am to 2:30pm.
- Based at Aberlour. Five days on site is preferred, and hybrid working will be considered.
- A clear route into team leadership as the department's structure evolves.
A bit more about Walkers Shortbread
The technical team at Walker's Shortbread is strengthening its supplier approval function. This role adds senior depth now, with the potential to grow a team around it.
Denholm's take
Progression is built into this role from the start. You step in as the senior technical voice, earn the trust of the supply base, then grow into leading a team.
Curious how the department is set to evolve? Get in touch for a confidential conversation.
