Technical Director, Catering

MindMerge Consulting; Selangor; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading airline catering firm is seeking a Technical Director in Selangor, Malaysia. The ideal candidate will oversee the technical strategy and operational readiness of food production, ensuring high-quality and compliant processes. This role demands extensive experience in food production and safety systems, along with leadership aptitude. The successful candidate will work with various stakeholders to enhance operational efficiency and product quality. Responsibilities include technical roadmap management and compliance with airline specifications, making this pivotal for business success.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in food production and processing.
• Experience with regulatory compliance and food safety.
• Hands-on leadership in technical environments.

Responsibilities

• Drive the technical strategy and operational readiness for food production.
• Oversee facility design, equipment selection, and quality assurance systems.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

Skills

Leadership

Food production expertise

Risk management

Quality assurance

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science & Technology or Chemical/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

HACCP

ISO certifications

Job description

Our client is a well known Airline organisation, currently looking for a Technical Director, Catering to be based in Sepang office.

The Technical Director is accountable for the end‑to‑end technical strategy and operational readiness of the organisation's food production ecosystem. This role demands a hands‑on leader with deep expertise in food production, food processing techniques, compliance, and continuous improvements. The role oversees and is responsible for facility and utility design, equipment specification and selection, recipe industrialisation, quality assurance and food safety systems, establishment and operation of the R&D kitchen, and the installation, testing, commissioning, operationalising of the production facility. The position provides senior‑leadership level recommendations on capacity, quality, cost, risk and schedule; sets and governs technical standards and stage gates; and builds the organisational capabilities, processes and digital traceability required to operate a safe, reliable and cost‑efficient chilled, frozen and ready‑to‑eat meal operation at scale in line with airline requirements.

Accountabilities

• a. Set the multi‑year technical roadmap (facility, equipment, technologies) aligned to airline’s strategy and needs; own design standards and change control.
• b. Chair technical design reviews and stage gates; provide leadership recommendations with TCO/ROI and risk trade‑offs.

Building & Infrastructure Oversight

• a. Endorse Civil & Structural drawings and plant zoning for hygienic flow (people / product / waste), utilities, drainage / Effluent Treatment Plant and cleanability.
• b. Approve Bill of Quantities (BOQ) scope, value engineering and finishing standards for all internal/food‑contact surfaces.
• c. Finalise specifications and vendor selections across production, packaging and cold rooms.
• d. Decide energy vectors (electric / gas / steam) by cuisine mix, capacity, safety and lifecycle cost; own tender technical, Factory Acceptance Test / Site Acceptance Test and award recommendations.
• e. Approve line‑planning standards and baseline availability performance quality (OEE) for go‑live.

Quality Assurance & Food Safety System Ownership

• a. Establish shelf‑life determination protocols, challenge/abuse studies and release criteria for chilled/frozen/RTE meals.
• b. Sign off Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) / Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) aligned to HACCP, ISO 22000/FSSC 22000, BRCGS, GMP and Halal (MS1500); ensure end‑to‑end traceability, allergen control and recall readiness.
• c. Design and commission the pilot / R&D kitchen at the catering facility to mirror plant capability.
• d. Partner with F&B unit to develop new products, standards and specifications; evaluate enabling technology to resolve ex‑station taste/consistency issues.
• e. Collaborate with culinary teams to standardise recipes, portion sizes and presentation formats.
• f. Oversee installation, utilities tie‑ins, hygienic passivation and site acceptance test; run PoC and trial productions to validate capacity, cycle times, quality and shelf‑life before ramp‑up.

Commercial, Stakeholder & Regulatory Management

• a. Interface with contractors, procurement, finance, airlines, Halal/JAKIM and safety & compliance including regulatory bodies for operationalisation of inflight catering.

People Leadership & Capability Building

• a. Build and mentor high‑performing technical, R&D and QA teams; instil process‑safety culture.
• b. Foster a culture of accountability, safety, innovation and continuous learning.
• c. Develop successors and technical academies for recipe scaling, hygienic design and thermal processing.

Performance, Risk & Sustainability

• a. Own technical KPIs (throughput, availability performance quality (OEE), yield, audit scores, complaint rate) and continuous improvement.
• b. Manage risk register and CAPEX delivery; drive energy, water, waste intensity reductions and digital traceability.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science & Technology or Chemical / Mechanical Engineering or related field.

Special / Professional Certificate

• Specify relevant certificates (e.g., HACCP, ISO certifications).

Years of Experience

• Number of years required (not specified in original, keep placeholder).

Areas of Experience

• a. Hygienic facility design, CNS/MEP review, BOQ validation and finishing standards.
• b. Shelf‑life protocols, micro/chem testing, challenge/abuse studies; allergen and traceability systems.
• c. SOP/SSOP creation aligned to HACCP, ISO 22000/FSSC 22000, BRCGS, GMP, Halal.
• d. Inflight catering or high‑volume central‑kitchen operations and quality management.
• e. Collaborative influencer across architects, contractors, vendors, operations and regulators.
• f. Customer‑centric, results‑oriented, resilient and adaptive in fast ramps.