Fresh Produce & Combinable Crop Assurance Technical Manager

Fresh Produce & Combinable Crop Assurance Technical Manager

About us:

Lloyd’s Register (LR) is a leading global provider of engineering and technology-centric professional services, whose profits support the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a charity dedicated to research and education in science and safety, which has awarded £96m in grants since 2013. 

Founded in 1760 as a marine classification society, LR now operates across three business streams Marine and Offshore, Energy and Business Assurance and Inspection Services who provide services across many industry sectors, with over 7,000 employees based in 78 countries.

We have a long-standing reputation for integrity, impartiality and technical excellence. Our compliance, risk and technical consultancy services give clients confidence that their assets and businesses are safe, sustainable and dependable.

Through our global technology centres and research network, we are at the forefront of understanding the application of new science and technology to future-proof our clients’ businesses.  Our strategy in BA&IS is to help clients manage risk and compliance through technology enabled professional services.  We will achieve this by focusing on our different customer needs to accelerate growth. 

Using technology as a key enabler of our value proposition both from a service capability and customer experience perspective, and to drive operational excellence building a flexible resourcing model to support the growth and drive profitability to our target levels Increasing the pace of Acquisitions to accelerate growth and re-balance the business towards faster growing sectors, particularly Food and Cyber Security.

Role Purpose:

Working closely with the Global Head of Planning, Technical and Quality Assurance, the Operations and Planning Manager, Client Account Managers and Senior Management, the Fresh Produce and Combinable Crops Technical Manager will be primarily responsible for the day to day management of the small office-based Crops and Fresh Produce Certification Team, ensuring that the certification process is delivered in accordance with UKAS accreditation requirements and scheme owner KPIs and delivering first class customer service experience.

The Technical Manager will have a global appreciation and sound knowledge of UK agriculture supply chain and products including awareness of the UK agriculture industry legislation and codes of practice thus allowing them to provide technical support for the Certification Team, assessors, scheme owners, client account managers and the sales teams.

In addition, the Technical Manager will be experienced and qualified to deliver fresh produce and combinable crops assessments, attend UKAS witnessed assessments and conduct performance/witness assessments of assessors; and be responsible for identifying and conducting training needs of the Certification Team and Assessors to ensure a consistent and competent approach to administration and assessment of the relevant schemes.

The Technical Manager will support Senior Management and Client Account Managers by attending client and scheme owner meetings and be available to support the Sales Team with technical queries relating to tenders for new business in the relevant sectors and also able to provide technical reviews on consultation documents.

Key Responsibilities:

• Management of the Fresh Produce and Combinable Crop Schemes certification team ensuring delivery of certification within scheme owner KPI
• Undertaking evaluation and certification of assessment reports
• Provide technical support for the Certification Team, assessors, client account managers and scheme owners
• Undertaking farm assessments and witnessed assessments
• Assist in the training of new and existing assessors
• Assist in the review of suspension and withdrawal of certificates and associated appeals relating to certification decisions
• Liaison with scheme owners
• Identifying areas of improved operational efficiencies and customer service

Technical/Professional Qualifications/Requirements:

• Degree in an agricultural related
• BASIS Certificate in Crop Rotation
• FACTS Certificate
• Red Tractor Qualified Assessor for Fresh Produce (including microbiology) and Combinable Crops

To apply for this role, or for more information, please click the Apply button.