Laboratory Supervisor

About Us
As a leading provider of high-quality food and beverage ingredients, we work with farming communities across the globe to grow, source and produce ingredients that are good for consumers, farmers, and the world around us. We supply household food brands and manufacturers worldwide with cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices ingredients which are often grown on our own farms and estates and sourced from hundreds of thousands of farmers across :50 countries. Along with our diverse manufacturing and innovation capabilities, this means we can provide ingredients for a range of products, from a plant-based latte mix to an almond based snack bar or a dairy-free ice cream.  Making a positive impact on people and planet is a core component of our Purpose, to be the change for good food and a healthy future. With a deep-rooted presence in the countries where our ingredients are grown, we are closer to farmers, enabling better quality, and more reliable, traceable, and transparent supply. And whoever we're with, whatever we're doing, we always make it real.

Product Information
Cocoa
We are a leading supplier of cocoa beans and cocoa ingredients, including cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa liquor, ranking among the top three processors worldwide. We are a cocoa supplier that provides great natural cocoa ingredients to customers all over the world, working with partners across the supply chain to create indulgent treats for consumers while helping to provide a positive future for cocoa. We work closely with our customers to inspire new concepts and solve for challenges they face in developing new cocoa products for their consumers, while delivering value to their business. Building on two decades of supporting farmers and cocoa-growing communities, around the world, we launched Cocoa Compass in October 2019, with the report published in 2024 winning Sustainability Report of the Year at the UK Green Business Awards It sets challenging goals to tackle the key issues facing the cocoa supply chain by 2030, with interim milestones for action. We are proud to have already achieved, in 2020, 100% traceability and deforestation monitoring in our direct cocoa supply chain. We source from nine regions across Africa, South America and Asia and operate processing, milling, and refining facilities close to major consumption markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Our cocoa brand portfolio includes deZaan, with over 100 years of excellence, Unicao, Joanes, Macao, Husyman, as well as Britannia specialty fats

Job Description

• Direct and supervise daily laboratory activities to ensure timely and accurate execution of analytical testing.
• Maintain laboratory readiness, including inventory management, equipment calibration and verification, reagent preparation, and adherence to safety protocols and quality protocols.
• Develop, implement, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all analytical methods and laboratory practices.
• Support Global Harmonization program and implementation
• Oversee and validate testing procedures for incoming raw materials, cocoa beans, cocoa powder, liquor, and butter, and etc.
• Ensure all analyses are performed in compliance with internal specifications, regulatory requirement, industry standards, and customer requirements.
• Review and approve test results for final product release using SAP, ensuring all quality parameters are met.
• Provide technical support to Commercial teams for customer inquiries and product documentation.
• Collaborate with Production to address quality-related issues and support process optimization.
• Liaise with auditing agencies during inspections and certification processes, ensuring full compliance with food safety and regulatory standards.
• Coordinate with internal and external warehouses for sample collection. Collect representative food samples for laboratory analysis to ensure safety and quality, by following strict sampling procedures to prevent contamination and ensure sample integrity.

Skills & Competencies

• Minimum 5 years' of experience in a food or cocoa testing laboratory, with at least 2 years' in a supervisory capacity.
• Proficient in analytical testing methods relevant to cocoa products.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, industry standards, and audit requirements.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for effective collaboration across departments and with external stakeholders.

Preferred Attributes

• Knowledge of SAP Quality Management (QM) modules and MES systems Competency for auditing
• Familiarity with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) is preferred.
• Capable of presenting technical data clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for effective collaboration across departments and with external stakeholders.

ofi
is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to racial or ethnic origin, color, age, religion or belief, sex, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Applicants are requested to complete all required steps in the application process including providing a resume/CV in order to be considered for open roles.