Technical Service Technologist at Ingredion Incorporated

• The Technical Service Technologist Kenya is responsible for providing best-in-class technical customer experience and delivering innovations, to create superior customer-centric solutions. In addition, the incumbent will be responsible for collaborating across the technical team, planning and conducting laboratory trials, and developing proactive formulations and prototypes that demonstrate the value for both texture and healthful solutions.

Core Responsibilities

• Be the technical point of contact for assigned customers and provide comprehensive technical support throughout the customers innovation process to meet business growth targets.
• Conducts application trials involving formulation and process development or fine tuning, in the presence of customers or at the customer's site. Proposes own ideas and utilizes customer feedback to develop innovative concepts.
• Utilize equipment and tools to evaluate customers products to help diagnose problems and apply food technology knowledge, give recommendations on ingredient selection and/or process adjustments.
• Organize visits to customers and/or visits from customers to the Ingredion Idea Labs (planning trials, meetings, and venue). Inquire, listen, and fully understand the needs of customers and work with the business team to quickly deliver innovative solution.
• Develop strong relationships across the technical and commercial teams to follow up and prioritize projects & activities aligned with the strategy and maximize business return.
• Documents technical work centrally and communicates project results internally as well as externally to customers. Record and share relevant customer activities and project updates in customer relationship management system.
• Evaluation of customer and competitor portfolio to gain insights and share knowledge with the team

Qualified Candidate Will Have

• Degree, or equivalent, in Food Technology or Food Engineering or other relevant disciplines.
• Experience in Manufacturing, Technical Service, NPD / R&D, or Applications role within Food / Food ingredients industry
• Experience of supporting and leading projects delivering new product innovation
• Advanced knowledge of interactions of different food ingredients, ingredient systems, food processing and overall manufacturing process including equipment and machinery.
• Excellent analytical, monitoring, and communication skills
• Fluent in English (verbal & writing).
• Ability to travel within the region up to 40% of the working time.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience in a Technical client facing role, ideally within specialty food ingredients
• Practical experience within dairy, beverages or savory food category

Required Behaviors And Skills

• Win with Customers – Understand and share needs, create distinctive value, build deep relationship.
• Drive for Results – Drive execution. Works collaboratively with others.
• Innovate - Foster new ideas and creative thinking to deliver innovative solutions.
• Foresight – solve complex problems, develop creative solutions.
• Learning – Self-awareness, curious and open-minded, courageous.
• Proactively build a good understanding of the customer to ensure own work is responsive to customer needs.