Technical Controller – Food / Own Brand
📍 Harrow, London | Hybrid
🕒 35 hours per week
Total package worth upto £91,000
✈️ UK travel + occasional Europe
Are you a senior food safety & quality leader who wants real influence over a national own-brand portfolio?
We’re working with a major UK convenience retail brand to appoint a Technical Controller to lead food safety, quality assurance and compliance across their entire own-label range.
This is a high-impact, senior role where you’ll act as the guardian of the brand, setting national standards and leading the technical agenda across multiple regions and supply chains.
What we’re looking for
* Proven experience leading a QA / Technical function within food or retail
* Strong background across multiple categories (chilled, ambient, frozen, non-food)
* Excellent knowledge of food safety, legislation and supplier management
* Comfortable operating in a matrix organisation with senior stakeholder influence
* Food science or relevant technical qualification (HACCP Level 4 desirable)
* Retail or own-label experience highly advantageous
What you’ll be doing
* Owning food safety, QA, compliance and responsible sourcing for the national brand portfolio
* Leading and developing the technical function (with direct reports)
* Approving and auditing suppliers across food, non-food and packaging
* Acting as the escalation point for product issues, recalls and crisis management
* Ensuring compliance with UK & EU legislation (HFSS, EPR, packaging, medicines, etc.)
* Working closely with internal teams, regional partners and international stakeholders
* Representing the brand with enforcement authorities and external bodies
* Shaping and delivering the Responsible Retailing & CSR strategy
This role blends strategy, leadership and hands-on technical expertise.
Why consider this role?
* National responsibility with genuine influence
* Senior leadership role within a well-established UK brand
* Broad, interesting supply base and stakeholder exposure
* Opportunity to shape standards, policy and long-term strategy