Technical Specialist - GAP and Organics

About Zespri

Zespri is the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit with over 800  people in New Zealand and throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas.
 

We  help people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit. We sit at the heart of an interconnected industry working with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers in Italy, France, Greece, South Korea and Japan. We supply the world’s healthiest little superfruits to people in more than 50 countries. We are fruit on a mission.
 

Our values are at the heart of everything we do. We commit to guardianship; putting people, the community, and the environment first. We are results-driven, challenging ourselves to grow and deliver better value. We cultivate personal connections, listening and acting with empathy and humility – and treating each other better for it.
 

We are growing quickly, driven by our success in engaging more and more consumers and by offering the world’s best kiwifruit 12 months of the year. We have bold ambitions and aim to grow sales from approximately $3 billion in 2018 to $4.5 billion by 2025.
 

To achieve our goals, we’re empowering our people to achieve their goals, designing our work for wellbeing, through flexible work practices and self-leadership.
 

We have bold ambitions for the future and we want all of our people to live and perform at their best.
 

About The Role

Technical Specialist – GAP and Organics 

The Industry Assurance Programmes (IAP) Team is responsible for leading and supporting the on-going development and effective and efficient implementation of Orchard based external industry assurance programmes including Global G.A.P and Organics. This position is an operational execution role and focuses on two key areas;

1. Development, implementation and maintenance of policies, standards and procedures relating to on orchard product requirements as part of Global G.A.P. certification.  
2. Developing and maintaining effective systems for ensuring all organic product has all necessary certification.

In this role you will champion our orchard production systems, which has been designed to incorporate the requirements of Global. G.A.P, Industry, regulatory authorities, our markets and our customers.

Accountabilities

• The development, implementation and review of Zespri Production Standards across global supply to form the Product / Production module to meet Global GAP requirements.
• Review and develop quality systems documentation for the Organic certification programme.
• Documentation of these standards to communicate the requirements to Growers.
• Development of guidelines, tools and resource material for growers to implement the requirements and to facilitate knowledge growth in the industry around Global G.A.P.
• Actively participate in annual programme reviews to identify opportunities to drive continual improvement in the Organics programme.
• Maintain effective relationships with organic certification bodies, and provide support to organic certification auditors as required.
• Participate in and follow up on internal and external audits for Organic Certification.
• Represent Zespri on the internal and external audit programmes for Global GAP and Organics.
• Develop and maintain key working relationships with Industry and regulatory bodies to     ensure the integrity of our production and certification programmes. 
   

Qualifications & Experience

• A tertiary qualification in Horticulture, Food or Science related disciplines, or significant relevant experience. 
• Exposure to, and good understanding of, the Kiwifruit industry.
• In depth understanding of Good Agricultural Practice and the Global G.A.P. standard.
• Sound understanding of organic certification systems.
• Experience in working with international standards and managing systems in a certification environment.
• Sound understanding of auditing principals.
• Highly developed computer skills (Word, Advanced Excel, SAP).
• Flexibility on work hours, particularly through the main season March – October. Some weekend work will be required, and out-of-hours accessibility by phone/email required especially through the main season.
   

What's In It For You

• Competitive overall remuneration package, including a Short-Term Incentive scheme opportunity.
• FlexWELL flexible work ethos
• Additional paid annual leave day per year (Zespri Day).
• Additional paid volunteer day to volunteer within your community (Volunteer Time).
• Global Life and Permanent Disability Insurance.
• Group Medical Insurance benefits.

Applications close Thursday 30th March 2023.

Agency

Zespri will not accept applications or contact from any temporary staffing agency, placement service or professional recruiter for this vacancy (“Agency”).

Where Zespri requires the support of an agency to fulfil a vacancy, we will proactively seek this support from our network of Agencies.  We respectfully ask that you do not contact Zespri or any of its affiliates/employees regarding vacancies, and reserve the right not to reply.

Zespri will not be responsible for, and will not pay, any fees, commissions or other payments related to such unsolicited resumes.