Status: Closed. Another successful assignment for Oakleigh Resourcing

Job Title:  Supply Partners Development Manager

Client: Carrs Foods International

Location:  Sharston, South Manchester

Remuneration: to £60,000 salary plus an attractive benefits package including bonus, pension, PHI, Life Assurance and Flexible Working (start time) 

Context: Carrs Foods is an international market leader in the bakery sector with a track record in creating and delivering the very best for our customers and consumers. Our brand portfolio includes St Pierre, Baker Street and Paul Hollywood Ready to Bake Breads.

Carrs Foods has achieved significant growth over the last seven years across key markets in the UK and USA - going from a turnover of £16m in 2010 to a forecasted turnover of £50m in 2017.

Our business model is to build partnerships with multiple bakeries. This allows us to identify manufacturing capabilities which we then link with consumer insight to deliver exciting innovation successfully to market.

Job Purpose & Responsibilities:

  • To guide our bakery partners in developing market leading bakery products for our various brands and private label customers.
  • Build a strong working relationship with both new and existing supply partners.
  • Identify and develop business with new supply partners.
  • Offer process development / bakery expertise support to internal departments to successfully launch new products and manage existing products within agreed timescales.
  • To ensure that factory trials are planned and carried out to a critical path schedule using a standardised approach.
  • Ensure outcomes are effectively captured and communicated to the relevant stakeholders.
  • Work with multi-functional cross disciplined teams
  • Build customer relationships both in the UK and USA
  • Problem solving of process issues
  • Provide bakery knowledge to support the NPD plan

Person Specification:

  • Degree qualified in an appropriate food science discipline

Essential Skills & Experience:

  • Possess a real breadth of Bakery product and process knowledge and experience (bread, morning goods and cake)
  • Ability to develop a broad range of bakery products (concept to launch) and work with a broad range of bakery processes and production methods
  • Experience conducting factory trials and involvement in the NPD process
  • Understanding of the cost drivers of successful NPD and how to maximise them
  • Exposure to retailers, with an understanding of their requirements
  • Ability to evaluate data
  • Good report writing skills
  • Working knowledge of microbiology / HACCP
  • Understanding of UK Food Legislation
  • Demonstrate a real passion for the food industry with a creative, flexible and knowledgeable approach
  • Ability to travel frequently - our factory locations are in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada.

Interpersonal Skills:

  • Good communicator - written and verbal
  • Well organised with good attention to detail
  • Ability to work autonomously and also collaboratively as part of a team
  • Work well under pressure with the ability to meet deadlines
  • Diplomacy, Tenacity and Results orientated
  • Good negotiating skills

If you would like to have a further chat about your interest in this exciting new role then please call our exclusively retained Consultant Elaine Rippon on 01477 534491.  To apply for the role please email your CV with supporting statement to Elaine at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.