Job Description
The role
Are you experienced in pesticide compliance within fresh produce? Or perhaps you're a recent graduate with a relevant scientific background and a strong interest in pesticide management and food safety? If so, this could be an excellent opportunity to join a well-established fresh produce business supplying major UK retailers. This role sits within the Responsible Sourcing team and will focus on managing pesticide compliance across a wide range of products, suppliers, and global supply chains. You will play a key role in ensuring supplier compliance, maintaining food safety due diligence, and supporting responsible and sustainable sourcing practices.
This position would suit either an experienced compliance professional within fresh produce, agriculture, or food manufacturing, or a graduate with a relevant degree (for example MSc Ethnobotany or similar plant / crop science background) who is looking to build a career within technical and compliance functions.
Key Responsibilities
- You will take ownership of pesticide compliance across the supply chain, ensuring suppliers meet customer and regulatory expectations.
Responsibilities will include managing supplier and customer PPP and PPPL derogation processes, working closely with suppliers to gather the required information for pesticide concessions, and supporting the development of reduction plans where necessary.
You will review and compile pesticide compliance documentation, including spray records, PPPLs, PPUs and residue analysis, ensuring all documentation is accurate and compliant with customer standards.
The role will also involve maintaining pesticide risk assessments and regularly reporting on any changes to risk outcomes. Where non-compliance occurs, you will lead investigations, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions while documenting findings clearly.
Working collaboratively with suppliers and internal teams, you will identify opportunities for early intervention through desktop risk assessments and supplier engagement. This may also include participating in supplier visits or audits where required.
You will also support supplier recall and traceability exercises to ensure systems remain robust and compliant with customer expectations.
About You
- You will ideally be educated to degree level in a relevant scientific field, with an interest or background in pesticides, crop science, plant science, agriculture, or a similar discipline.
- Experience within pesticide compliance, fresh produce technical roles, or agricultural supply chains would be highly beneficial. However, graduates with relevant qualifications and a strong interest in pesticide management are also encouraged to apply, as training can be provided.
- You will have strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects effectively. The ability to work both independently and collaboratively with internal teams, suppliers, and customers is essential.
- You should also be confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and ideally have exposure to data analysis tools such as Power BI.
Why Apply?
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a respected fresh produce business and play an important role in ensuring responsible sourcing and pesticide compliance across an international supply chain. It offers strong career development for both experienced professionals and ambitious graduates looking to enter the technical side of the food and fresh produce industry.
If this sounds like a role you could see yourself in then please get in touch with me. My name is Oskar Ballard and you can get in touch using the following:
Tel: (phone number removed)
Email: (url removed)
