Technical Manager, Americas

En Route International Ltd.; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

En Route International Ltd. in Houston, TX is seeking an experienced Technical Manager, Americas to lead food safety, quality, regulatory compliance and supplier management across the Americas region.

You will report to the General Manager, Americas and collaborate with Procurement, Product Development, Operations and Commercial teams to uphold top quality across the supply chain. The role requires a degree in Food Science or related field, plus substantial experience in senior Technical/Quality

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology or related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GFSI, FDA and CFIA requirements.
• Experience in supplier approval, audits, risk assessments and supplier performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the regional QMS to ensure compliance with food safety standards and customer requirements.
• Manage supplier approval, auditing, risk assessment and performance programmes.
• Lead technical delivery of new product launches, including trials and first production runs.
• Develop and maintain product specifications, quality standards and technical documentation.
• Investigate non-conformances and implement CAPA programmes.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, CFIA, FSVP, labelling and microbiological requirements.
• Support recalls, incident management and audit programmes.
• Drive food safety culture and continuous improvement across the region.
• Act as regional technical expert supporting customers, suppliers, tenders and audits.

Skills

HACCP knowledge

GFSI knowledge

FDA/CFIA compliance

Supplier management

Auditing

Product development awareness

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Degree in Food Science / Food Technology or related discipline

Job description

We’re hiring a Technical Manager, Americas

Location

Houston, Texas

Job Type

Permanent

Who are we?

We’re En Route. We’re a welcoming bunch, with a down-to-earth outlook that helps build lasting relationships with customers and colleagues alike.

As global specialists in passenger solutions, supply chain services and sourcing for airlines and airline caterers, we operate globally as part of dnata, one of the world’s largest combined air services providers.

En Route’s expertise is one of the many reasons why we’ve enjoyed more than 20 years as a global food solutions partner, with offices in the UK, USA, Australia and UAE.

Are you ready to become part of our story?

Our Values

Created by En Route colleagues, our values sit at the very heart of our business.

We are seeking an experienced Technical Manager, Americas to lead food safety, quality, compliance and supplier management across our Americas operation.

Reporting to the General Manager, Americas, with support from the Global Head of Technical, you’ll work closely with Procurement, Product Development, Operations and Commercial teams to ensure the highest standards of food safety, quality and regulatory compliance throughout the supply chain.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the regional Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring compliance with GFSI standards, customer requirements and food safety regulations.
• Manage supplier approval, auditing, risk assessment and performance programmes.
• Lead technical delivery of new product launches, including factory trials and first production runs.
• Develop and maintain product specifications, quality standards and technical documentation.
• Investigate non-conformances, conducting root cause analysis and implementing CAPA programmes.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, CFIA, FSVP, labelling and microbiological requirements.
• Support recall readiness, incident management and audit programmes.
• Drive food safety culture and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Act as the regional technical expert, supporting customers, suppliers, tenders and audits.

What We’re Looking For

• Degree (or equivalent) in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in a senior Technical, Quality or Food Safety role within food manufacturing, airline catering or a similarly regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GFSI, FDA and CFIA requirements.
• Experience managing supplier approval programmes, audits, risk assessments and supplier performance.
• Experience leading new product launches, factory trials and first production runs.
• Experience developing and maintaining product specifications, quality standards and technical documentation.
• Good understanding of food manufacturing processes, ingredient functionality and shelf-life requirements.
• Experience managing non-conformances, root cause analysis and CAPA programmes.
• Knowledge of North American food legislation, labelling requirements and regulatory compliance.
• Familiarity with crisis management, product recalls and incident response procedures.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Procurement, Product Development, Operations, Supply Chain and Commercial teams.
• Willingness to travel across North America and internationally as required.
• Lead Auditor qualification or equivalent.
• Experience with Halal certification programmes and dietary/religious meal requirements.
• Knowledge of export compliance programmes, including CFIA and FSVP.
• Experience supporting customer audits, presentations and tender processes.

Personal Attributes

• A confident communicator who can translate technical requirements into practical solutions.
• Skilled at building relationships and influencing stakeholders.
• Comfortable challenging constructively to protect food safety, quality and compliance.
• Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities.
• Proactive, solutions-focused and committed to continuous improvement.
• Collaborative, culturally aware and able to work across international teams.
• Detail-oriented, with a strong risk-based approach to decision-making.

Why Join Us?

This is an exciting opportunity to shape food safety, quality and supplier performance across a strategically important region. You’ll work with global colleagues, leading suppliers and major airline customers while helping drive the future technical strategy of our Americas business.

We are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences, and we are dedicated to ensuring a fair and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any adjustments or support during the application or interview stages, please let us know – we’re here to help!

Regrettably, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond individually to every candidate. If you have not heard from us within 10 working days of submitting your application, unfortunately you have not been successful on this occasion.

We take your privacy seriously. Any personal data you share with us during the application process will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws and used solely for recruitment purposes. Your information will be stored securely and retained only for as long as necessary.