Job Description

Overview:
Technical Director
Zertus UK & Ireland (Humdinger Ltd, Kinnerton Confectionery & Lir Chocolates)
Homebased (England, UK), with the ability to regularly commute to Zertus UK&I locations (Lincolnshire; North Yorkshire; East Yorkshire; Wirral; Norfolk; Navan, Ireland).
Key benefits: Competitive salary plus bonus, car allowance, private medical and critical illness insurance
Zertus UK&I, part of the Zertus Group, is seeking a visionary Technical Director to lead and shape the technical strategy across our diverse snacking and confectionery businesses, including Humdinger, Kinnerton Confectionery, and Lir Chocolates. With a workforce of 1,200 colleagues across six production facilities, Zertus UK&I is home to market-leading brands such as NOMO, Baileys Chocolates, Guinness Chocolates, and The Fruit Factory. Innovation, quality, and entrepreneurial spirit are at the heart of everything we do.
The Technical Director will provide strategic leadership across all technical functions, ensuring food safety, quality, and compliance with legislation and retailer requirements. You will drive technical excellence, lead continuous improvement initiatives, and foster a high-performance culture across all sites.
Responsibilities:

• Drive technical excellence in food safety and quality standards throughout the business.
• Set standards and maintain company due diligence.
• Compliance with all current legislation for food manufacturing.
• Horizon scanning for emerging issues and requirements.
• Development and implementation of quality plans with key customers.
• Evaluate and implement standards of best practice throughout the business including management of food safety, quality, GMP, supplier risk management.
• Develop Technical teams including professional development and succession planning.
• Responsible for hygiene and cleaning standards throughout the Company.
• Lead the Technical agenda with key strategic partners

Qualifications:
We're looking for a dynamic and experienced leader with:

• Technical knowledge & expertise, including working knowledge of relevant legislation, including Level 4 HACCP and Food Safety or equivalent experience.
• Degree-level qualification in a food-related discipline.
• Proven senior-level experience in food manufacturing, ideally with M&S knowledge.
• A strong leader who has the experience, charisma and people-management skills to lead the technical function and drive change.
• A first-class communicator and a team player accustomed to open debate and able to influence and challenge at all levels.
• Entrepreneurially-driven and values centric.
• Confident and immediately credible to all levels in the business.
• Strategic and creative but pragmatic in decisive implementation.
• Flexible enough to manage the immediacy of various business challenges.
• Unimpeachable integrity with a high level of credibility.
• Resilience to seek solutions and drive improvement.
• Proven people leadership skills utilising a coaching style, setting high standards and demonstrating high results orientation.
• Humility to learn and understand Zertus, and to build on past successes, not recreate.
• Highly motivated, dynamic and a team player.

Rewards Benefits:

• Competitive salary plus car allowance.
• Critical Illness Insurance and private medical single, couple or family membership.
• Annual bonus of up to 30% - subject to meeting scheme criteria.
• Pension (4% Employer Contributions) & Life Assurance Scheme at x4 basic salary.
• Health Care Cash Plan via Paycare (physio, dental, optical care).
• Holiday Purchase Salary Sacrifice Scheme - buy up to one extra week per year (subject to meeting minimum criteria).
• Cycle to Work & Electrical Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme - subject to meeting minimum criteria (because the environment is important to us).
• Family friendly policies including hybrid working opportunities and Maternity and Paternity leave above statutory minimum.
• Annual engagement calendar, volunteering days and wellbeing events.
• Monthly employee recognition scheme via the 'Zertus Values Awards'.
• Recruitment Refer a Friend rewards.
• Training and Development Opportunities (Leadership courses, External qualifications, Professional membership fee's).

About Us:
Zertus UK&I develops companies and brands that make delicious snacks, chocolates or seasonal specialities. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on providing market leading service to our strategic partners and consumers. With a broad portfolio of processes, assets and capabilities we offer products that span many categories from nuts and salty snacks to premium hand decorated chocolates and everything in between. We are also incredibly proud to have created and grown the UKs biggest Freefrom Chocolate brand with unrivalled technical capabilities and fantastic tasting products that delight consumers. Zertus UK&I collectively comprises of Humdinger Ltd, Kinnerton Confectionery and Lir Chocolates which operate across the UK and Ireland from 6 production facilities, alongside an innovation centre and warehousing facilities. Our manufacturing Locations: Heckington, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Fakenham, Bromborough, Navan (Ireland). We have a hot-desking office space in Hull (East Yorkshire) and also in Camden, London. Application & Interview Process:
Zertus is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Your application will be reviewed and entered into the selection process, comprising of least two stages.

Skills Required