South Coast | Senior Leadership Team
Technical leadership | Commercial influence | Strategic growth.
A rapidly growing, vertically integrated fresh produce business is looking for an exceptional Head of Technical to play a pivotal role in its next phase of development.
With advanced automated glasshouse and packhouse facilities, an established fresh produce portfolio and strong relationships with leading UK retailers and food-service customers, the business is entering an exciting period of diversification and growth.
This is much more than a traditional technical role. Reporting directly to the Managing Director and sitting on the Senior Leadership Team, the Head of Technical will help shape the future direction of the business through a progressive technical strategy that supports quality, innovation, customer relationships, supplier development, people and commercial growth.
The Opportunity
The successful candidate will lead a 3–5 year technical strategy, bringing together people, product, systems, R&D and customer plans while ensuring the business maintains a practical, robust and safe due-diligence framework.
Key areas of responsibility will include:
- Technical Strategy – developing and implementing a forward-looking technical strategy aligned with business growth.
- Customer Leadership – building strategic relationships with major retailers, food processors and recipe-box suppliers, identifying opportunities for future category growth.
- Innovation & New Product Development – working cross-functionally to introduce new SKUs and co-packed products and identify opportunities within customer ranges and breeding programmes.
- Operational Excellence – partnering with the wider business to improve systems, efficiency, product quality and shelf life.
- Team Leadership – mentoring and developing a high-performing technical team and embedding a data-driven culture.
What They’re Looking For
This role would suit an experienced senior technical professional from fresh produce, chilled food or short-life FMCG, with a strong understanding of the commercial realities of supplying major retailers.
The ideal candidate will bring:
- Proven senior technical leadership experience.
- A strong track record working with major retailers and discounters.
- Commercial awareness and experience of P&L ownership.
- Understanding of seasonal supply and capacity-driven business models.
- Experience of diversification and delivering measurable commercial value through technical strategy.
- An appreciation of complex, geographically diverse and resilient supply bases.
The Person
The business is looking for someone who can combine strategic vision with practical delivery.
They will be an authentic, grounded relationship-builder who is comfortable operating in a hands-on, entrepreneurial environment. They will be able to influence everyone from grower to customer, collaborate across functions and balance immediate retail requirements with longer-term strategic objectives.
Above all, they will be a values-led leader who can help drive positive cultural change while delivering the technical foundations required for sustainable growth.
Ready to Shape What’s Next?
For an ambitious technical leader, this represents an opportunity to move beyond traditional technical management and become a key architect of growth, innovation and commercial success within a fast-moving fresh produce business.
If you’re ready to influence strategy at Senior Leadership Team level and make a genuine impact on the future direction of a growing business, this could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
For a confidential chat call Ian Reed on 01284 715055 quoting Ref: 6106IR
