Fruit and Vegetable Operations Lead

As we continue to expand our operations, we are seeking a passionate and experienced Fruit and Vegetable Operations Lead. You will safeguard product taste and quality from field to fork, turning quality into a primary driver for our growth. Together, we will set the standard for a scalable, high-performance operation.

Join us in our mission to deliver the highest quality products and redefine the grocery shopping experience for our customers!

In a nutshell 

As our Fruit and Vegetable Operations Lead, you will play a vital role in ensuring that our customers consistently receive top-quality fruit and vegetables. Your responsibilities will include implementing and maintaining rigorous quality control procedures throughout our fruit and vegetable supply chain, from sourcing to delivery. This role requires a keen attention to detail, strong communication skills, leadership skills and a deep understanding of industry-standard quality benchmarks.

What you’ll do

• Quality performance management: Monitor and evaluate the performance of our products suppliers, providing feedback and guidance as needed to improve quality and consistency.

• Quality control: Conduct regular inspections of products to assess freshness, quality, and compliance with specifications.

• Be a fruit and vegetable expert: Stay informed about industry trends, developments, and emerging technologies related to product quality.

• Process implementation: Develop and implement Picnic's quality control processes for vegetables and fruits, including product specifications, inspection criteria and quality assurance across our warehouses and Fulfilment Centres.

• People leadership: Train and educate Picnic's quality team members on quality control procedures, product specifications, and best practices for handling and storing products.

• Supplier management: Collaborate with Picnic's suppliers to establish and maintain quality standards, resolve quality issues, and ensure compliance with food safety regulations.

• Stakeholder management: Work closely with cross-functional teams at Picnic, including buying, category management, and customer service, to address quality-related issues and implement corrective actions.

About you

• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role within a grocery / retail environment with knowledge of fruit and vegetables.

• Strong knowledge of produce quality standards, grading systems, and industry best practices.

• Attention to detail, with the ability to identify and address quality issues effectively.

• Designs and executes comprehensive quality strategies while driving alignment across stakeholders.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Strong communication and relationship management skills

• Willingness to travel in the Netherlands, occasionally France & Germany

• Fluent in English, Dutch fluency is preferred.

Picnic perks

Every expert was once a beginner!
You’ll get plenty of opportunities to challenge yourself and grow, including the Picnic Tech Academy, Lunch & Learn sessions, and tailored soft skills training. We also offer free professional weekly language courses.

Make a difference
You’ll work in an awesome scale-up environment with the freedom to drive your own projects and create a visible impact. Our fully electric vehicles and sustainable business model mean you’ll also be contributing to making the world a better place! 

Teamwork makes the dream work
With more than 80 nationalities across 3 countries, you’ll be part of a diverse company with plenty of cool stuff to get involved with, from board game evenings to after-work drinks to our company ski trip and more!

Stay healthy
Mental health is important. As well as having the option to speak with Picnic colleagues who act as confidential advisors, our collaboration with OpenUp gives you easy access to professional psychologists, along with workshops and materials. There are plenty of sports communities and events to get involved with, from tennis to yoga to climbing! 

Attractive package
We offer competitive compensation and a pension plan that looks out for your future self.

Commitment to equal opportunities
Picnic is an equal opportunity employer—this means that all decisions regarding applications will be based on qualifications and merit. Applicants will be regarded independently of age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, skin color, civil status, religious beliefs, physical or mental disability, or any other factors protected by law. 

At Picnic, we celebrate and value our differences and are committed to building a safe and inclusive working environment where everyone can be themselves.