An ambitious and fast-growing fresh produce business is seeking a dynamic Customer Technical Manager to champion technical excellence across its retail customer base. This is a pivotal, customer-facing role for a technically astute professional who thrives on building trusted partnerships and ensuring products consistently exceed expectations.
The Opportunity
Reporting into the Exec Team, the Customer Technical Manager will act as the technical lead for allocated retail accounts—protecting brand integrity, upholding rigorous compliance standards, and ensuring that quality is never compromised.
Working cross-functionally with Commercial, Procurement, Production, and Supply Chain teams, this role plays a vital part in delivering customer strategy, maintaining specification accuracy, and proactively identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.
What They’ll Be Doing
- Developing and nurturing strong, trusted relationships with key customer stakeholders
- Leading technical input into customer strategy and category plans
- Ensuring customer specifications are accurate, up to date, and fully understood across the business and supply base
- Monitoring KPIs and upholding the highest standards of compliance and due diligence
- Managing complaints, rejections, and non-conformances with a proactive, solution-focused approach
- Conducting supplier audits and driving continuous improvement initiatives
- Reviewing product quality, shelf life, and packhouse processes to ensure peak condition on arrival
- Supporting EPD/NPD projects with a forward-thinking, commercially aware mindset
- Collaborating internally to ensure seamless communication on packaging, quality, and supply chain matters
What They’re Looking For
- A strong technical background within fresh produce or a related sector
- Solid understanding of crop production and factors affecting quality
- Working knowledge of certification schemes such as BRC, GlobalG.A.P., and Red Tractor
- Proven experience managing high-profile, high-value retail accounts
- Excellent communication, planning, and problem-solving skills
- A confident relationship builder who can influence both customers and internal stakeholders
Why Join?
This is an opportunity to join a progressive, quality-driven organisation supplying leading retailers. The successful candidate will be empowered to make decisions, drive improvements, and shape customer partnerships within a supportive and collaborative environment.
For a technically passionate professional who enjoys balancing strategic thinking with hands-on quality management, this role offers real scope to make a measurable impact.
Ready to take ownership of technical excellence and elevate customer partnerships? Call Ian Reed on 01284 715055, quoting Ref: 6039IR
