Technical Manager

Ready for your next career move in the UAE? 🇦🇪

We’re looking for an experienced Technical Manager to join our Group and are open to candidates currently based in the UK who are willing to relocate to the UAE.

About Kahraman

Kahraman is a long-established, family-owned agribusiness group headquartered in Dubai. The Group trades, processes and farms pistachios and produces pistachio ingredients — inshell and kernels, diced, flour, granules, paste and cream — for food manufacturers and distributors worldwide. It operates processing facilities in Dubai and Mersin (Turkey), farming and processing operations in California, a distribution business in Italy and a food-ingredients business in the United Kingdom. Group Head Office in Dubai sets the standards, controls and reporting for all of them.

Job Purpose

The Technical Manager will lead all Food Safety, Quality Assurance , Quality Control, and Compliance activities across the Dubai manufacturing site. The role is responsible for developing and maintaining a robust Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring compliance with internationally recognized food safety standards, and supporting the company's strategic growth, including future High Care and High Risk food manufacturing operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the site's Quality Management System (QMS).
• Lead the Site’s HACCP Team and Food Safety Culture program.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety standards, regulatory and customer requirements.
• Lead and manage all food safety and quality control Site activities, managing the transition from Quality Control to Quality Assurance.
• Manage and develop the Site quality and laboratory teams.
• Lead GFSI-benchmarked certification implementation projects, audit preparation, certification audits, and ongoing compliance activities.
• Oversee internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Manage supplier approval, supplier quality performance, and raw material specifications.
• Lead investigations into non-conformances, customer complaints, and CAPA programs.
• Ensure compliance with GMP, hygiene, allergen management, traceability, and food defence requirements.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, risk assessments, and food safety documentation.
• Facilitate the delivery of training and coaching to Production, Engineering and Operational teams on food safety and quality standards.
• Work closely with Production, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Operations teams to drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Essential Requirements

Experience

• Minimum 7 years' experience in food manufacturing.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a Technical Manager, Quality Manager, or equivalent leadership role, the experience encompassing working in at least two High Care / High Risk food manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience supplying UK supermarkets with their private-label products.
• Demonstrable experience implementing and maintaining a food manufacturing GFSI-recognized certification scheme from preparation through leading the audit, to certification and ongoing compliance.
• Experience leading customer and regulatory audits.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary quality and food safety teams.
• Experience in continuous improvement and food safety culture programs.

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, or a related discipline.
• Level 4 HACCP Certification.
• Lead Auditor qualification in BRCGS, FSSC 22000, IFS or equivalent.

Technical Knowledge

Strong knowledge of:

• HACCP
• Risk Assessment Principles and Application.
• Food Defence
• Assessment of Vulnerability to Economically Motivated Food Fraud
• Allergen Management
• GMP and GHP
• Excellent understanding of UK food manufacturing standards and retailer requirements.
• Knowledge of BRCGS or equivalent GFSI benchmarked scheme implementation and maintenance.

Preferred Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have recent hands-on experience as the Technical Lead within a High Care or High Risk food manufacturing site that has successfully achieved and maintained GFSI certification.

Experience within UK food manufacturing and private-label supply chains is highly desirable.

The candidate will be a strong team player who is also able to self-manage.

Salary

• Salary Range: £40,000 - £50,000
• A relocation allowance will be provided to support the successful candidate's move to the UAE.