ABP UK is part of ABP Food Group, one of Europe's leading consumer food producers. With over 60 -years of experience. ABP has a reputation for quality and innovation. Our food business specialises in supplying and developing award-winning British beef and lamb products for retail, food service and wholesale customers worldwide.
We work across a number of markets to maximise returns for our farmer suppliers and offer efficiency and value for our customers. From the core of our business in consumer food production, we have companies as diverse as pet food manufacturing to renewable energy, giving our colleagues a broad range of opportunities for progression throughout our group
ABP have an exciting opportunity based in our Penston site for a Specifications Technologist
Key Responsibilities:
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To ensure internal and customer specifications and other quality systems are accurate, up to date, compliant with food safety legislation, approved by the relevant departments and customers, and in place prior to product production, with clear communication to relevant production staff.
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To complete annual reviews of all internal specifications and review customer specifications as required.
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To create and maintain Quality Contracts, Visual Aids, Quality Attribute Standards, and associated processing documentation.
- To attend Production and NPD factory trials, providing technical input to support successful outcomes and rightfirsttime quality.
- To assist in the preparation for and participation in customer visits, audits, and NPD presentations.
- To support and participate in quality audits, including preparation, site engagement, action followup, and effectiveness checks.
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To carry out quality sampling and product verification, ensuring products consistently meet agreed specifications and Quality Attributes (QAs).
- To engage collaboratively with Production and Operations teams to drive rightfirsttime quality and continuous improvement on the factory floor.
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To manage product setup activities, including system updates, specification changes, and communication of changes to relevant stakeholders.
- To build effective working relationships with customers in relation to specification management and quality performance. To ensure communication with management, colleagues, and customers is accurate, clear, and professional at all times, both written and verbal.
- To manage and coordinate taste panel activities, including:
- Ensuring taste panels run to schedule
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Monitoring panel attendance and engagement
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Maintaining integrity and accuracy of taste panel data
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Trending, analysing, and clearly communicating results
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Ensuring actions are agreed and implemented where relevant.
Essential Requirements:
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At least 1 years' experience within the Food Industry within a Technical or NPD role.
- Strong IT skills and working experience of all the Microsoft applications.
- Knowledge of ERP systems
- Previous experience of working with customers and particular UK retailers.
- To be flexible to work weekends and evenings when required to support business needs. This role may be required to support other areas of the technical department as needed.
Desirable Qualities:
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Third-level qualification in Food Technology/Food Nutrition or related discipline
- Working knowledge of specification systems/ NPD systems such as Point 74.
- Red Meat Butchery/Ingredient knowledge would be advantageous.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to lead with authority, whilst maintaining good relations with colleagues across business functions
- Excellent organisation skills and attention to detail
- Self-driven and an ability to work on own initiative.
- Proactive approach to problem solving.
- Drive to learn new things and enthusiasm to progress.
- To be flexible to work weekends and evenings when and if required.
