Food Development Apprentice

Location: Windsor, UK

Salary: £23,000 per annum

Job Type: Fulltime, apprenticeship

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?

Job purpose

The Food Development Apprentice will assist and support the Product Development team with the goal of working towards the role of Food Development Co-Ordinator. The role will support all product categories run by the team, reporting into one of the category Food Development Managers or Head of Category. The role will be responsible for assisting with all product development activities within a busy fast paced team. You will support projects by coordinating customer samples, assisting with presentations and attending supplier meetings. You will work collaboratively with Teams across the business to ensure that multiple projects are completed within agreed timescales and to the required standard. The role will be onsite 5 days.

In addition to your day-to-day role, the business will support your learning to gain a food technology apprenticeship qualification.

Key responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with the Food Development Managers and Heads of Category Development to support the delivery of customer briefs generated by sales and the development of longer-term category plans.
• Ensure structured and up to date learning of key milestones is completed in line with deadlines as part of the apprenticeship qualifications.
• Support with sourcing products that are off the shelf from existing suppliers, asking for product and technical information to support the samples.
• Ensure that incoming samples are booked in and stored appropriately.
• Manage inventory and organization of product samples, placing orders to refresh as required and adding new products to the inventory as well as disposing of obsolete stock.
• Assist with packing, storage and dispatch of samples as required by the FDMs.
• Provide product to the creative and packaging teams assisting to ensure packaging is sized appropriately.
• Assist with product presentations both internally and externally, helping to compile product photographs and product details for sales presentations.
• Assist with setting up of onsite product showcases and hospitality, using your flare to bring products to life.
• Maintain an up-to-date tradeshow and events tracker, supporting the team to identify who should attend.
• Research latest trends across food categories to support FDM’s with food safaris and product research
• Work with the technical team to deliver the surveillance programme to monitor the quality of new and existing products.
• Support FDMs and HoCDs on selected large projects across the categories to build knowledge of suppliers and product by attending supplier meetings, supporting project meetings and customer presentations
• Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with colleagues, liaising with other teams where necessary
• Undertake any other duties, which may from time to time be assigned. This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive, but it is issued as a general framework at the time of writing.

Additional responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with the rest of the business to generate new ideas to enable us to proactively approach customers with innovative solutions
• Co-ordinate and participate in presentations to clients, exhibitions and industry events in the UK or overseas

Experience

• GSCE, BTEC or A-Level Qualifications or culinary experience.
• Creative with a passion for food
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to multi-task and work to tight deadlines
• Attitude to learn in a fast paced environment
• Happy to work in a fast-moving team
• The ability to manage your own time effectively
• Able to build strong customer and team relationships.
• Awareness of market trends
• Self-starter with ability to use initiative and think outside the box