Maintain partnerships for working in the food and drink supply chain
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed for you to maintain partnerships for working in the food and drink supply chain. Determining how the business partnership is working, identifying problem areas and evaluating if the partnership is of importance is vital for deciding if the partnership continues to be of value to the food and drink business. The supply chain may be local, national or global. You will need the skills and knowledge to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the business partnership. You will need the skills and knowledge to gather information relating to the day to day working of the partnership, key achievements and problems. You will also need the skills and knowledge to liaise with colleagues, make proposals relating to improvements to the working relationship and help determine if the partnership is of continued value to your food and drink business. You will need to know how to source information relating to external contacts, building relationships and acting appropriately to create a positive image of you and your food and drink business. You also need to know how to record and act upon information gained from relationships with external organisations. This standard is for you if you work in food and drink manufacture and/or supply operations and are involved in maintaining partnerships for working in the food and drink supply chain.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Monitor project objectives
source the terms and conditions, and project outcomes relating to
the business partnership
gather information relating to the actual versus target outcomes
liaise across each organisation, across different functions
and hierarchies to gather informal information relating to the
partnership
determine the effectiveness of organisational systems and
procedures used to aid the day to day working of the partnership
gauge the effectiveness and usefulness of communication across
and between the partner organisations
collate the information and communicate to relevant people
Evaluate effectiveness of the partnership
liaise with colleagues to evaluate the gathered information
agree on key achievements and problems
propose improvements to the systems and methods of
partnership working
determine if there are additional commercial opportunities or
improvements to quality, food safety, costs or other additional
benefit for either or both partners
identify if investment is required to aid partnership working
decide if the relationship is still of value to both or either partner
amend project plans if required and communicate to relevant
people across the organisation
feedback to each business partner workforce key information
relating to the business partnership
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
why it is important to conduct yourself in a way that promotes
trust, respect and a positive image for the food and drink business
- how to source information relating to project plans, milestones
and timelines
- the methods of communication and information technology
available within and across each partner organisation and how to
use them
- why it is important to gather formal and informal information
relating to the business partnership
- how to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the
organisational systems and procedures used to aid day to day
working of the partnership
- why it is important to gauge communication across and between
the business partners
- the partnership requirements for the reporting and presenting of
information and why it is important to adhere to them
- why it is important to work with colleagues in each business to
evaluate gathered information, propose changes and address
challenges
- the importance of encouraging innovative thinking to recognise
new opportunities for each or both businesses
- the importance of gaining an opinion across the business
partnership, regarding the way forward for the partnership and
how to do this
- how to identify business partnerships that are faltering and decide
on an improvement or termination strategy
- why it is important to ensure colleagues across the business
partnership are made aware of successes, developments and
changes to the business partnership and its project outcomes and
how to do this
- how to recognise where organisational development strategies
can be used to help alleviate problems associated with
partnership working