Senior Food Technologist

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Job Description

As the technical product specialist in your category, you will maintain our reputation of being the UKs most trusted retailer. Working closely with our supply base and category teams, you will drive the category growth plans to help craft the strategic direction.

The role is hugely varied, and no two days are the same! You will lead on the quality, innovation, food safety, integrity, ethical and sustainability credentials of our products and work with passionate colleagues to continuously learn and step change our product ranges.

Using your technical knowledge, expertise and judgement you'll ensure the consistent delivery of innovative, high quality, safe, and legal products, which meet our M&S brand values, ensuring categories deliver their sales and profit targets. You'll identify and manage the delivery of strategic technical initiatives and be accountable for key technical workstreams. You'll use your knowledge and skills not only to deliver innovative technical solutions to continue to drive sales and customer satisfaction but also to aid your colleagues to deliver category business unit objectives.

What's in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that - playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We're an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special...

• After completing your probationary period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products andmany of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our
  performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP andPAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

What you'll do

Your key accountabilities will include

• Working with our suppliers to ensure products are made safely to agreed standards
• Work with the category team development of innovative products and setting of quality standards
• Build and deliver research and innovation plans driving new product development
• Ensure product quality is continually monitored and maintained, developing action plans with suppliers to step change quality performance where required

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include

• Degree level technical qualification in an appropriate subject
• Proven experience within the food sector
• Where appropriate to hold an externally recognised professional competence (e.g., FIFST, MIFST)

Everyone's welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.

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