Technical Advisor National Retail

Do you have the appetite to Grow Your Magic?

Consumers everywhere are increasingly conscious of the quality of the food they eat. Puratos develops, produces and distributes a unique range of ingredients for bakers, pastry-chefs and chocolatiers who demand the very highest quality.

Founded in Belgium in 1919, Puratos is growing rapidly with over 10,000 employees in over 75 countries, with a consolidated turnover of over €2.8 billion. Our passion for innovation, a pioneering spirit and the Unique Puratos culture drive our solid growth and vision for the future. This, coupled with our commitment to our communities, is what makes working at Puratos so magical.

Position Overview

To strengthen our growth, we are currently seeking the position of:

Technical Advisor – National Retail

(Montreal, Canada)

Reporting directly to the Technical Advisor Manager, the successful candidate will deliver professional, state of the art, technical service & expertise to our customer partners in National Retail.

The person will inspire customers with differentiating finished goods, based on latest global & local trends while using our focus product range and an assessment of customer needs.

In close collaboration with the business development teams, they maintain existing & grow new business at major National retail customers through high end technical support and commercial contacts.

This role will be in Montreal, QC and will be based out of our Montreal Innovation Centre.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop inspirational finished goods and concepts: Actively look for customer needs and market trends and translates these into inspirational products. Create finished goods, recipes and concepts in close collaboration with the business development teams. Share recipes with customers and colleagues through multiple communication media. Responsible to develop concepts in Bakery, Patisserie and Chocolate and to continue to build skills in BU’s.

• Delight Customers: Give finished product demonstrations with Puratos products. Create close relationship with the customers, both in Puratos Innovation Centres and in customer locations. Organize and/or give training sessions. Participate and/or manage seminars & events in conjunction with Sales, Marketing and R&D. Trouble shooting at key retail customers stores to support them in solving issues in their daily production in a timely manner. Participate to store opening for new retail locations, train staff, contribute actively to ideation session for the event and for the assortment of finished goods if needed. Provide world-class technical support to the National Retailer(s) in all aspects of work.

• Business development activities: Promote the focus products according to the Puratos Product Strategy. Support industrial manufacturers on production lines to support triangular sales launches. Troubleshooting on industrial lines to support our customers. Maintain existing business and develop new business by identifying opportunities and threats at customer. Positively influence purchase orders from retail customers by great product demonstrations and highlighting our high-quality differentiating product range. Contribute to marketing events. Identify new product opportunities at customer(s) and create finished goods concepts accordingly.

• Build and share knowledge and experience: Help colleagues and customers build technical knowledge on Puratos products, technologies and solutions. Stay up to date on new technologies, machinery/equipment, trends and techniques and share with other technical advisors. Share learnings, wins, best practices with team members, both locally and internationally. Analyse financial reports and prepare sales budgets. Help grow Puratos Magic internally and externally.

• New product development and innovations: Contribute early on to the development process in close collaboration with the Sales, R&D and Marketing departments.  Give technical advice on the product characteristics that need to be included in the new product development. Advise on how the products are being used and how they can provide increased value to our customer. Support the business development teams in positioning the product range and determine gaps. Contribute to new product launches (product testing, pictures & video’s, market tests, etc). Contributes to product development by advising on industry practices (tender for retail, machinery and equipment at industrial, semi-industrial and artisan customers). Follow-up and report customer activities in CRM and reporting tools provided.

• Maintain Innovation Center: Work with the management team East in the definition and execution of a strategy for the use of the Montreal Innovation Centre. Assist in maintaining or arranging for maintenance of equipment, purchase supplies and recommend any new needs for the space as needed with collaboration of IC Manager. Work with other Montreal IC team members to create a harmonious shared space. Follow all required Puratos guidelines for Innovation Centres. Follow 5S principles in keeping space clean and tidy with the highest standards.

• Network building: Continually build customer knowledge and relationships. Develop and maintain a network of schools, machinery manufacturers, retailers, professional bakery organizations. Develop and contribute to the internal international technical community.

• Responsible for any other assignment given by the direct superior.

Profile

• A Secondary training and/or education in Bakery/Patisserie/Chocolate
• Hands-on experience in the Bakery/Patisserie/Chocolate sector, within a retail environment
• Language skills: Excellent oral and written English, French is an asset.
• Customer-centric approach
• Computer skills and ability to use professional tools (SAP CRM, O365, etc.)
• Strong knowledge on ingredients, process & equipment and finished goods
• Willing to share knowledge with colleagues and customers
• Collaborative team player: respect others, helpful, open minded
• Proven planning and organization skills with excellent attention to detail
• Consulting and selling skills
• Ability to find solutions to complex problems
• Flexibility to travel up to 40%. Majority of travel in Canada and USA, with some travel to EUR
• Strong communication skills and strong influential presenter
• Independent with a commercial approach

Offer

Puratos provides a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment that encourages our people to take initiatives and bring ideas that will contribute to the success of the company. Of course, Puratos offers a competitive package (salary, group insurance, healthcare, training…) but additionally, offers you a position that you can further develop and shape.

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