Specifications Technologist

Puratos; Sittingbourne; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£33,745 per annum

25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays

Cycle to work scheme

LinkedIn Learning access

Job summary

Puratos Fourayes, UK’s leading processor and grower of fruit, is seeking a Specifications Technologist to safeguard customer and internal specifications and ensure compliance with food safety standards.

Reporting to the Technical Manager, the role focuses on maintaining accurate specifications, supporting launches, audits, and regulatory updates while contributing to continuous improvement across the Quality and Technical teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in food safety management in a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene and quality management systems.
• Knowledge of food legislation and labelling.
• Strong organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and spoken communication.

Responsibilities

• Complete, amend, review, and approve customer and internal factory specifications within agreed timescales.
• Ensure specifications remain compliant with customer standards, food legislation, labelling and regulatory updates.
• Prepare and maintain internal factory launch documentation for product introductions and changes.
• Complete customer pack copy information accurately and within deadlines.
• Support Quality and Technical teams with organoleptic assessments and shelf-life monitoring.
• Collate microbiological shelf-life data and compare with internal/customer standards.
• Review analytical nutritional results for compliance with specs and legal requirements.
• Manage customer technical information requests and traceability exercises.

Skills

Food safety management

Auditing

Problem solving

IT competence

Communication skills

Education

Food Safety Level 2 or 3

Tools

SAP software

Job description

At Puratos, we create innovative food solutions for the health and well-being of people everywhere. As the global leader in bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients, we help our customers to be successful with their business, by turning technologies and experiences from food cultures around the world into new opportunities.

We are more than 11,000 employees in 87 countries and a consolidated turnover of 3.4 billion euros. Our passion for innovation, a pioneering spirit and the unique Puratos culture drive our solid growth and vision for the future. This, along with our commitment to our local communities, is what makes working at Puratos so magical.

To strengthen our team in Puratos Fourayes, the UK’s number one processor and grower of fruit, we are looking for a:

Specifications Technologist

Your Mission

Reporting to the Technical Manager, the successful candidate will ensure the accuracy of both internal and customer product specifications are maintained.

What you will do

Key responsibilities:

• Complete, amend, review, and approve customer and internal factory specifications within agreed timescales.
• Ensure all specifications remain compliant with customer technical standards, current food legislation, labelling requirements, and regulatory updates.
• Prepare and maintain internal factory launch documentation to support successful product introductions and changes.
• Complete customer pack copy information accurately and within agreed deadlines.
• Support the Quality and Technical teams with organoleptic assessments and monitoring of new and existing products throughout their shelf-life.
• Collate and assess microbiological shelf-life data from factory trials, comparing results against internal and customer standards to determine product shelf life.
• Review analytical nutritional results from factory trials and verify compliance with customer specifications and legal requirements.
• Complete and manage customer technical information requests, including traceability exercises, Supplier Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SSAQs), and other customer documentation.
• Create, update, and maintain finished product Quality Attribute Standards (QAS) and associated documentation.
• Maintain and execute the site traceability schedule, ensuring traceability exercises are completed in accordance with customer, legal, and internal requirements.
• Coordinate and oversee the technical and quality aspects of new product launches, ensuring products are manufactured to specification and meet customer requirements.

Team Support:

• Customer complaint handling/corrective actions and raising internal CAN’s
• Completion of GMP’s/CCP & Internal audits
• Ad hoc production requirements
• Technical administrative tasks when required.
• Continuous improvement initiatives within the Technical and Quality Function

What we expect from you

The ideal candidate would have:

• Proven experience of, or passion to work in, food safety management in a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene and quality management systems.
• Knowledge of food legislation and labelling.
• Tenacity and confidence to challenge.
• Strong organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Food Safety level 2 or 3.
• Auditing experience and qualifications.
• Ability to work efficiently and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and spoken communication skills.
• IT competence, especially Microsoft Office 365.
• Experience of using web-based customer specification systems e.g. Hamilton Grant, Quor, Qadex would be advantageous.
• Experience of SAP software would be beneficial, though not essential.

What you can expect from Puratos

• £33,745 per annum.
• Core hours of Monday – Friday 08:30 – 17:00.
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays.
• Opportunities for career growth and development.
• Access to 1000s of courses on LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive training and support, with 5 training days planned for every worker in 2026.
• Employee benefits platform.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• A positive and inclusive work environment.

We are a warm family company with a historical growth track record and a clear long-term vision for the future. We promote a caring, trustful and respectful work environment by putting people first.

We at Puratos cultivate an inclusive global workplace that fully embraces diversity and equal

opportunities for all. We strive to reflect the richness of our customers, communities and society, accelerating our ability to innovate and deliver on our commitments.

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

This is Puratos

At Puratos, we create innovative food solutions for the health and well-being of people everywhere. As the global leader in bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients, we help our customers to be successful with their business, by turning technologies and experiences from food cultures around the world into new opportunities.We are more than 10.000 employees in over 80 countries and a consolidated turnover of 3 billion euros (in 2023). Our passion for innovation, a pioneering spirit and the unique Puratos culture drive our solid growth and vision for the future This, along with our commitment to our local communities, is what makes working at Puratos so magical.