Manager - Tea Taster

Job Purpose:

Curated Group has a vision of collating multiple bands and is looking for a key member for its Tea portfolio. Curated Group has an ambitious vision for growth driven by Innovation.

The role will require creative flair and practical know-how of tea to translate our big ideas into fantastic, flavourful tea products for our customers to enjoy.

For this you will need to be a real “Tea Lover” with a passion for creative, innovative and consumer trend-based product development as we keep looking to expand.

Synopsis of Role – Critical:

• Minimum experience of 10 years in tasting and selecting teas for premium export markets.
• Experience in Specialty Tea’s (Exotic Tea/ Relaxation and Anti-Stress Tea/ Digestion and Weight Loss Tea/ Fruit Tea/ Fermented Tea/ Floral Tea/ Spice Tea/ Detox and Cleansing Tea, etc. )
• Ensuring compliance with reference standards, and compliance to our quality standards by our co-packing partners.
• Experience in planning, budgeting, purchasing and blending teas for premium export markets.
• Technical knowledge of tea cultivation and manufacture (ideally in more than one area).
• Allotment and assessment of the firms plantation output.
• Co-ordination of dispatches from the gardens, blending units and packaging factories.
• Willingness to travel within India and abroad on an infrequent basis.

Synopsis of Role – Preferable:

• Knowledge of green and herbal teas as well as black tea
• Knowledge of Ceylon and Kenyan teas as well as Assam & Darjeeling teas
• Knowledge of and travel to, premium export markets

Critical Skills and Job Complexity

a) Knowledge and Skills:

• Attention to detail.
• Excellent written and spoken English, great interpersonal skills, demonstrable leadership skills, organised, methodical and a self-starter.
• Experience managing partner (supplier) relationships, great customer relationship management and ability to work in a team.
• Creative with a high level of culinary skill and knowledge to deliver innovative trend-based product development.
• Must have a strong competency to demonstrate and present products to a wide audience.
• Desirable behaviors – Spark brilliance, drive change, think big, stay curious, inspire ownership & act together.
• Quality Assurance, Product Development, Negotiation, Supply Chain Optimization, Strategic Planning, International Business, Manufacturing, Flavors, Planning, Management, Import Export, Food Service, International Trade.

b) Contacts

Types/Levels – Internal & External

• Organisation wide (India, UK, AU & CA ) & external too.

c) Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Ability to detect noncompliance’s, analyse, prepare report & process / product improvement.
• Able to manage their own projects independently; flexible and tenacious.

Preferred Education and Experience

The ideal candidate for the position:

• Graduation in any field
• Graduation in Botany, Food Sciences, Horticulture, Agriculture or allied fields (Food Technology) - Preferred
• Additional Tea Tasting Courses - Preferred
• Min 10 years’ experience in tasting and selecting teas
• Should have exposure in managing in a global environment specifically (UK, Australia, CA)