Product Specialist - TMV

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Represents FPL Food LLC within assigned customers relating to products, service, and people. Facilitates FPL’s reputation as a premier supplier.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Will take on the responsibility as the product specification gate keeper.
• Responsible for adding more detail to New Product Implementation and Customer Set Up Process.
• Customer Specification Technical advisor for Production Plants, Staff and Management.
• Responsible for bridging information between Multi Functional Business Units and Departments for Customers Requirements, Expectations and Requests back to the proper Departments, Business Units and Management.
• Develops and maintains a favorable relationship with meat department managers and their support staff, regional staff, owner operators and distribution personnel in designated territory. Keeps regional customers informed of FPL’s products, services, and quality and food safety initiatives.· Follow all established Supplier Guidelines during retail store visits in an assigned market.
• Gathers and relays vital business information regarding changing business environments, attitudes, product problems/conditions, inventory levels, marketing activities, complaint resolution, and competitor information.
• Responsible for researching, developing, and implementing new and existing processes and procedures to enhance, increase and improve the quantity and quality of the production of our products.
• Asist facility production management to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and increase profitability through process control.
• Assist plant implementation of new products through roll-out and production standards
• Responsible for completing a daily store audit report which will address quality attributes for both product and packaging requirements. Those include product receiving guidelines; product storage in cooler; checking all product case/box labeling for proper shelf life, code date correctness and legibility; product flow from the cooler to the meat case.
• Investigates and reports product and service quality issues to FPL Customer Service and key management personnel. Work with the plant’s QA Manager to determine outcome, and customer notification of final complaint disposition. Reports plant solutions for problems to customers on a timely basis to regain and improve customer confidence. Identifies and resolves customer operational problems related to product performance issues. Prepares or reviews distribution documents.
• Critical communication link between our manufacturing facility and all product observations in the retail store(s). Provide immediate communication to the Crisis Management Team of any potential quality or food safety issues observed which could have a direct and negative impact to our company and/or our customer(s), due to a specific product or food safety concern identified.
• Responsible for working with all departments, especially quality assurance, and IT to ensure that specifications for product is updated and corrected and safety guidelines is being updated and corrected for product handling and processing.
• Participates in regional activities to favorably represent FPL products and commitment to the customer.
• Prepares and reports daily work schedule to manager. Submits required field related activity reports (expense, field summary report). Maintains records of inventories and location for production control and cost accounting.
• Maintains up to date product processing, distribution, and restaurant operational knowledge.
• Routinely visit FPL manufacturing facilities to stay abreast of product manufacturing guidelines and all food safety initiatives. Train FPL manufacturing employees on customer requirements.
• Responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment free of all recognizable hazards. Understand and adhere to policies related to safety and assure others do the same.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Meat Science, Agribusiness, Sales, Marketing, Business, or related field preferred

Experience

2 or more years of experience in food industry

Special Skills, Competencies, & Other Qualifications

1. Must Demonstrate: Recognized leadership ability and strong interpersonal skills.

2. Excellent communication, written and oral, and customer service relationship skills.

3. Proficient in designing, creating, and delivering presentations.

4. Intermediate to Advanced in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Travel Requirements

Up to 80% travel

DISCLAIMER: The Position Description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. It should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required of employees assigned to this position.