Quality Technologist

**What’s the role about?**

As the Quality Technologist, you would be deploying a product quality assurance programme that helps to set Waitrose & Partners apart from our competitors with world class quality products which delight our customers.

Through product assessment and analytical data management be the champion for product quality and associated activities that support a business quality culture and product delivery to the highest quality standards. Typically including: product benchmarking, post launch reviews, product quality review sessions & improvement projects, supplier / branch and depot visits and routine product assessments.

You will operate in a collaborative matrix way of working with teams across Quality & Technical, Product Innovation, CPG Trading, Commercial Planning, Customer Insight, Marketing, Customer Services, Retail and our supply base.

**What will you be doing?**
- Utilise key metrics & data analysis to identify trends and work in a matrix management approach within CPGs / with suppliers to optimise product quality.
- Product Quality Assessment: Deliver routine and ad hoc quality assessment practices in line with our Quality Assurance Programme, ensuring quality expectations are met throughout the product life-cycle. Matrix working with CPGs to identify & document follow up actions, drive completion and review.
- Work closely with suppliers, branches, depots and channels to optimise our product quality through continued review of operations and product delivery for customers. On site visits will be required.
- Realisation of new / continuously improved capabilities and ways of working to drive quality standards and our operating efficiencies.
- As processes change, provide Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to document.
- Relationship Building: Develop and maintain external and internal relationships to facilitate Waitrose ways of working and quality vision.

**What you’ll have**:

- Degree in food science (or similar) or extensive experience in Quality Management Systems / Technical / Operations
- Food & Grocery industry experience
- Strong Technical understanding of food & grocery products, their manufacture and distribution.
- Passion for product, quality and attention to detail.
- Excellent data analysis and presentation skills, capable of analysing commercial metrics & insight data to provide compelling recommendations.
- Experience of working collaboratively with suppliers to achieve targeted results
- Capability to prepare & cook products in a domestic kitchen environment if required