Head of Advisory Chef

Reports to: Channel Marketing Manager (CMM / CDM)

Business unit: Fonterra Brands Vietnam

Organisation unit: Anchor Food Professionals

Location: HCMC – Vietnam

Role purpose

The Foodservice Business is identified as one key pillars of growth for Fonterra Brands Vietnam & Cambodia (seeding market) with the expectation to grow volume and EBIT in double digit annually.

In the Channel Led System, Senior Advisory Chef is playing a pivotal role by being one of the key leads to enable the aspiration of Fonterra to become customer centric. This is done by understanding the intimate technical needs of channel and customers’, and channel this insight back to the Local and Regional Channel team so that this insight can be used to develop new product, applications and business solutions.

The key responsibilities included:

• Work with Business Managers, Channels Marketing and Foodservice customers to develop an Innovation strategy that captures the main dairy product sales opportunities within customer groups in Vietnam.

• Develop new innovative applications, recipes and kitchen efficiency solutions that assist our customers to profitably grow their businesses and increase their demand for Fonterra AFP dairy products.

• Provide product F&B / application / solution knowledge training and development for both Fonterra AFP and Distributor sales teams to lift our selling game through superior technical knowledge of our products.

• Monitor recipes / solution trends that use dairy products in Foodservice bakery and hot kitchen applications in other relevant countries and adapt for Vietnam and Cambodia

• Develop a network of Key Opinion Leader Chefs and Bakers in Vietnam that we can work with to influence trend adoption and seed new products and solutions into.

• Recruit, train and manage a team of Vietnam (+Cambodia) Advisory Chefs to provide professional technical support to our local customer base.

Role accountabilities

1. Channels & Customers Development

Role Accountabilities:

• Develop close working relationships with key customers to clearly understand their technical and NPD needs in addition to the needs analysis performed by the AFP Sales Teams to then develop innovative technical solutions using Fonterra AFP products that enhance their business.

• Present new recipe/ products applications / solution to customers, with a focus on Fonterra AFP product advantages.

• Develop solutions in-line with briefs from the Channel and KA Teams that meet Channel and KA Plans.

• Assist the Sales Team in the execution of customer engagement plans and follow up on technical application commitments.

• Work with Channel Team to identify opportunities/ ideas for events, and to execute events and activities details (e.g. townhalls, demonstrations)

Role Outcomes:

top customers creating an added barrier to competitor entry and building increased demand for Fonterra products in those accounts.

• The value of Fonterra solutions & FAB (feature /advantage /benefits) clearly demonstrated to all customers.

• Technical solutions committed to customers by the Fonterra team are delivered on time and in full either through 1:1 / workshops /campaigns /events.

2. Innovation and Technical Training

Role Accountabilities:

• Technical responsibility for the Foodservice Division’s Innovation Strategy

• Identification of new recipes, innovative menus, technical solution and leverage new trends from both back of house (BOH) & front of house (FOH) for the Vietnam and Cambodia markets from a variety of sources

 Networking with Key Opinion Leader Chefs/Bakers

 Monitoring Foodservice dairy application trends in other relevant countries that can be adapted into profitable product and solution concepts for Vietnam and Cambodia.

• Network with Global / Regional technical counterpart

• Responsible for development of all technical training materials for the Foodservices team.

Role Outcomes:

• Innovation strategy developed which delivers leading edge technical solutions to our customers which are well ahead of competitors.

• A pipeline of monthly/ quarterly new application and technical solution innovations that grow demand for Fonterra dairy products in the major Vietnam market segments (Bakery, Dinning, OEM, and Hot Kitchen).

• Provide insights from the Chef perspective to the local sales teams on the following to equipped Foodservice sales team with compelling technical solutions and effective selling stories that strongly convince our customers to use Fonterra dairy products.

 BOH & FOH

 Local menu and application trends

 Customer and operation insights

 Local market practices in dairy foods for global/ regional NPD projects

• A strong network of Key Opinion Leader Chefs and Bakers in Vietnam and Cambodia that we can work with to influence trend adoption and seed new products and solutions into.

3. Product Testing and Detailing

Role Accountabilities:

• Benchmark testing regime established and maintained for all Fonterra and competitive set products.

• Responsible for the setting and continual improvement of professional standards for Fonterra Foodservice product demonstrations and technical detailing.

• Support the implementation of concepts and solutions via relevant sales tools (e.g. e-detailers) through regular coaching and in field support

Role Outcomes:

• Fonterra and relevant competitor products in the market tested regularly and reported to the Fonterra team to ensure clear and up to date understanding of technical differences.

• Product and technical solutions demonstrated and detailed to customers by the Advisory Chef and other Foodservice team members of a professional standard unrivalled by competitors.

4. People Management & building technical capability:

Role Accountabilities:

• Allocation of TA resources to optimise the technical team time and effectiveness

• Coach the team to master their knowledge in dairy and to maintain high standards of Food Safety and Quality at all times by complying and adhering all aspects of Fonterra’s and Local food quality systems, policies and processes.

• Manage the technical team daily routines to assure the work disciplines are in place

• Connect to Global / Regional technical counterpart to promote shared learning in order to drive synergy and common approach on solution implementation or cross sharing on competitor activities

• Recruitment and training of a team of local Advisory Chefs that can provide technical solutions to an international standard

Role Outcomes:

• Sufficient customer job briefs are allocated according to the needs of the customer – ultimately lead to a high strike rate to launch the ideation according to the customer plan timeline.

• A clear development plan and consistent one to one session with direct reports on the progress.

• Team of local Advisory Chef’s developed that are effectively detailing our products to customers at an international level of professionalism.

Section A: Qualification and experience

Education

• At least a Diploma from a recognised Culinary/Hospitality School

=> Preferred: City and Guilds Certification in Pastry.

Previous experience working internationally, preferably in Asia.

Experience

• At least 7 years’ experience at the Pastry Chef/Sous Chef level or similar level establishments.

• Related to “Kitchen / Cookery” or specialized in “Pastry Kitchen”

• Related to “OEM” or “Semi-Industry

=> Preferred: Have the professional maturity in engaging with stakeholders and customers

Technical/Functional Expertise

• Must have the technical skill to be able to practically demonstrate to customers and sales team the dairy benefits in key applications of AFP Customer Business Type – Bakery, Dinning, Pizza and Pasta, Beverage and QSR in a highly professional manner

• Proven creative ability - able to design, plan and produce cutting edge of 5 Star Hotel level desserts and pastry for buffet and display cabinets.

• Previous experience in the use of food costing software.

• Good communication skills and ability to coach and develop team members.

• Computer literate in Microsoft Excel, Power Point and Word applications.

Industry Experience

• Understand with the ability to manage or setup the backend operation in a bakery or hot kitchen.

Section B: Key relationships

Internal

• Foodservice Director

• Channel Development and Sales Execution Teams

• Global / Regional Advisory Chefs

External

• Top account customers

• Foodservice industry Key Opinion Leaders.

• Distributor Management and Sales teams