Job Title: Technical & Product Development Manager – Stock Plant

Location: Grannagh, Co. Waterford

Reports to: NPD Manager (with dotted line to Technical Manager)

Role Type: Permanent, Full Time

Role Summary: 

This hybrid role is designed to bridge Technical, Food Safety, Product Development, and Commercial functions within the Stock Plant. The successful candidate will play a central role in ensuring product safety and compliance, driving innovation, supporting customer relationships, and delivering frontline improvement projects.

Working closely with Technical, NPD, Operations, and Sales teams, the role combines hands‑on food safety leadership with proactive product development and customer‑focused innovation. The position is key to ensuring our beef stock products remain safe, compliant, competitive, and aligned with market needs.

The successful candidate will be based in our Grannagh primary production facility and will be responsible for:

Technical Leadership & Food Safety Compliance

• Deputise for the Technical Manager and support their responsibilities when required.
• Maintain and update the Quality Manual, ensuring HACCP, GMP, and due diligence requirements are met.
• Lead and participate in internal audits (hygiene, systems, standards) to maintain BRC and ISO accreditation.
• Coordinate BRC, customer, and third‑party audits, ensuring corrective actions are completed.
• Manage controlled documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Investigate customer complaints and provide technical feedback to site teams.
• Ensure all products meet legal requirements, customer specifications, and internal standards.
• Manage microbiological and chemical testing programmes, including trending and performance monitoring.
• Oversee pest control activities and ensure non‑conformances are closed out.
• Monitor shelf‑life samples and ensure product safety throughout the lifecycle.
• Support food safety alerts, coordinating information and responses as required.

Raw Material & Supplier Management

• Maintain and update raw material specifications and supplier approval documentation.
• Conduct food safety risk assessments for raw materials and assess ingredient suitability.
• Ensure all raw materials have approved, active specifications on internal systems (e.g., Insight).
• Complete tasks for and with Procurement, Technical, Operations, and NPD teams to ensure supplier compliance.
• Escalate discrepancies in supplier approval or material compliance where necessary.

Product Development, Innovation & Trials

• Support NPD/EPD activities in line with business needs, including concept development, trials, and scale‑up.
• Lead frontline delivery of improvement projects and new product trials within the Stock Plant.
• Research emerging trends, technologies, and ingredients relevant to stock/broth production.
• Prepare business cases and justification for new product concepts or innovations for management review.
• Act as the product quality champion, ensuring excellence in specifications, sensory attributes, and consistency.
• Maintain strong relationships with suppliers to support innovation and ingredient optimisation.
• Collaborate with Operations to ensure new products and processes are feasible, safe, and efficient.

Customer & Sales Development Support

• Support customer visits, audits, and technical discussions, representing the Stock Plant’s capabilities.
• Attend customer meetings, trade shows, and industry events to gather insights and support commercial growth.
• Complete customer documentation, specifications, and technical forms accurately and on time.
• Work with the Sales and Commercial teams to ensure products meet customer expectations and market requirements.
• Provide technical input into customer presentations, tenders, and new product proposals.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Team Development

• • Work closely with the NPD Manager (line manager) and liaise regularly with the Technical Manager on compliance matters.
  • Collaborate with Operations to ensure traceability, paperwork accuracy, and process control.
  • Train, coach, and monitor production teams on technical and food safety topics.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives across the site, contributing to group‑level quality, commercial & safety enhancements.
  • Generate and communicate Technical KPIs for internal and customer reporting.

Your role will see you tackle a wide range of business challenges in a busy food production environment.

The ideal Candidate will have or demonstrate: 

• A Third‑level qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Process Technology, or related discipline.
• Strong understanding of HACCP, food safety systems, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience in meat processing, food ingredients, or stock/broth production (advantageous).
• Experience with BRCGS, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
• Knowledge of CIP systems and food safety legislation.
• Experience in NPD, EPD, or product optimisation within a food manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to liaise across technical, commercial, and operational teams.
• Customer‑facing experience is desirable.

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to balance technical rigour with commercial awareness.
• Proactive, organised, and capable of managing multiple priorities.
• Confident communicator with strong influencing skills.
• Passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

INDLP