Technical Manager

Greg O'Hanlon International Ltd; Dublin; Presencial; EUR 70.000 - 110.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Greg O'Hanlon International Ltd is seeking a Technical Manager to provide technical leadership across product development, manufacturing, quality, and customer-facing activities. You will ensure regulatory compliance, accurate specifications, shelf-life validation, and supplier risk assessments across dry blended ingredients with emphasis on protein-related applications.

You will work with NPD and Quality teams to support new product introductions, process changes, and retailer approvals while

Formación

• Five years of senior technical experience in B2B dry ingredient blending, meat, bakery, or related food ingredients environment.
• Strong understanding of food chemistry including hygroscopicity, lipid oxidation, and ingredient stability.
• Experience interpreting EU, UK, and GCC food legislation and regulatory changes.
• Proven track record with Tier 1 retailers' codes of practice and technical approvals, especially M&S and Sainsbury's.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills across technical, commercial, and operations teams.
• Analytical, inquisitive problem-solving approach with sound technical judgement.

Responsabilidades

• Oversee raw material and finished product specifications, including allergen management and nutritional calculations.
• Develop shelf-life validation protocols for dry blends and justify extensions.
• Lead testing, investigations, and corrective actions with the Quality team.
• Manage retailer approvals and customer compliance and audits.
• Review and approve recipes and process changes with the NPD team; support initial production runs.
• Lead technical projects to introduce new product categories and expand manufacturing capabilities.
• Work with Purchasing and Quality to assess supplier technical suitability and conduct audits.
• Set quality standards for external warehousing and ensure proper storage and intake testing.
• Build strong technical relationships with key customers and strategic suppliers.

Educación

Degree in Food Science or Food Technology

Descripción del empleo

Our client is an established Irish business operating within the food ingredients sector, supplying ingredient solutions to food manufacturers across a range of applications. The company combines manufacturing capabilities with technical expertise and established relationships with international ingredient suppliers.

With an established domestic customer base and developing international activity, the business continues to invest in product development, technical capabilities, and operational improvements to support its long-term growth.

Quality, food safety, and responsible sourcing remain central to its operations and future development.

The Opportunity

The Technical Manager is a newly created position within the business, with responsibility for providing technical expertise, oversight, and regulatory support across product development, manufacturing, quality, and customer-facing activities.

Reporting directly to the Head of Business Development and NPD, the successful candidate will work closely with the NPD and Quality teams to ensure that raw materials, finished products, manufacturing processes, and technical specifications meet the required regulatory, customer, and food safety standards.

The role will have particular responsibility for product specifications, regulatory compliance, shelf-life validation, technical testing, supplier risk assessment, and retailer approval processes. It will also support the introduction of new products and manufacturing capabilities as the business continues to develop.

Operating within a technically focused food ingredients environment, the Technical Manager will work across a broad portfolio of dry blended ingredients, with particular emphasis on protein-related applications, meat processing, bakery, and seasoning solutions.

The successful candidate will combine strong scientific and regulatory knowledge with practical experience of food manufacturing. The position requires someone who can provide technical direction, work effectively across departments, and build credible relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Technical Specifications and Regulatory Compliance: Oversee the accuracy and compliance of raw material and finished product specifications, including allergen management, cross-contact risk assessments, nutritional calculations, and relevant food legislation.
• Shelf-Life Validation: Develop and implement shelf-life testing and validation protocols for dry blended ingredients, including the assessment and technical justification of shelf-life extension requests.
• Product Testing and Technical Investigations: Oversee testing and validation activities for raw materials, blended products, and manufacturing processes. Work closely with the Quality team to investigate results outside specification, identify root causes, and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Retailer Approvals and Customer Compliance: Lead technical activities associated with Tier 1 retailer supplier approvals, retailer codes of practice, and major customer technical audits, ensuring compliance with relevant customer and regulatory standards.
• New Product Development and Recipe Approval: Collaborate with the NPD team to review and approve recipe and process changes, providing secondary technical sign-off during initial production runs and supporting formulation development where required.
• Technical Projects and Business Development: Lead technical projects supporting the introduction of new product categories and the expansion of manufacturing capabilities, including the validation of new processes and associated technical requirements. Provide technical input into wider strategic projects aligned with business objectives.
• Supplier Technical Management: Work closely with Purchasing and Quality to evaluate existing and prospective ingredient suppliers, assess technical suitability and associated risks, and conduct technical audits of raw material manufacturers.
• External Warehousing Technical Oversight: Establish appropriate quality control standards, storage conditions, and intake testing procedures for external warehousing operations, including temperature and humidity requirements for moisture-sensitive powders.
• Technical Relationships and Collaboration: Develop and maintain strong working relationships with technical contacts across key customers and strategic suppliers, while providing specialist technical guidance and support to internal teams.

Candidate Requirements

• A degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Minimum of five years' experience in a senior technical role within B2B dry ingredient blending, meat or bakery processing, seasonings, or a closely related food ingredients environment.
• Practical experience in a dry blending or ingredient production environment, with a sound understanding of manufacturing processes and associated technical requirements.
• Strong knowledge of food chemistry, particularly hygroscopicity, lipid oxidation, and active ingredient stability.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and implementing food legislation and regulatory changes across EU, UK, and GCC markets.
• Proven experience working with major retailers, including Tier 1 retailer codes of practice, technical approval processes, and associated standards, particularly those applied by M&S and Sainsbury's.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively across technical, commercial, and operational functions.
• An analytical and inquisitive approach to problem-solving, supported by sound technical judgement and critical thinking.
• A collaborative and approachable working style, with the ambition to contribute to the continued development and growth of the business.
• An established professional network within the Irish food industry would be advantageous.

Remuneration

An attractive remuneration package will be offered, reflecting the experience, qualifications, and suitability of the successful candidate. The overall package will be discussed and negotiated with the right individual.