Senior Technical Manager UK We’re Pret: proud makers of freshly made food, organic coffee, and big ideas. Across 750 shops and 20 countries, our teams are shaping the future of Pret through innovation, inclusion, great customer service and a shared passion for doing the right thing. We’re growing fast on our mission to be the employer of choice in hospitality, everywhere we operate – so this an exciting time to hop on board. We Believe in Growing Good Things Growth is at the heart of everything we do. From the freshly hand-made food we create every day, to supporting our teams, we help our people grow in confidence, skills and to pursue their unique paths. Pret is where passionate, hardworking, wonderful people (like you!) find what they need to shine. And the proof is in the pudding – over 80% of our Managers started on the shop floor! So did 20% of our Support Centre teams, including our CEO, Pano. What we're looking for We’re looking for passionate team players to bring joy to our customers every day. As our Senior Technical Manager (UK), you’ll play a critical role behind the scenes—making sure everything we serve is safe, legal and true to Pret’s high standards. The Food Technical Team exists to ensure that all food in the UK meets Pret standards, legal requirements and food safety expectations. This is achieved by establishing, maintaining, reviewing and continuously improving the systems, processes and standards that underpin food safety and due diligence. As Senior Technical Manager UK, you’ll manage supply base quality and supply issues, equip Pret with the right tools to continuously improve the quality of inbound products and ingredients, and provide expert guidance on food safety and quality across our shops. You’ll be part of the UK Technical Team, safeguarding the reputation of the Pret brand - quality, safety and legality - while supporting Pret’s approach to food through robust food science and effective supply base management. The role delivers strong oversight of food safety, quality and legality across the UK and Ireland and reports to the Head of Technical UK & EU within the Food Commercial Team. Key responsibilities Supplier management Maintaining a technical relationship with food suppliers Driving continuous improvement in quality, including complaints and total defects KPIs Managing quality issues and incidents, embedding learnings into enhanced procedures for optimal future recovery Ensuring robust processes are in place to deliver effective manufacturing technical management, meet quality standards, and achieve long-term improvement plans Supporting unexpected supply chain changes, including capacity constraints, factory relocations, and crisis management Identifying cost-saving opportunities (TCOF reduction) and supporting delivery Delivering a sustainable business within the area in line with established Pret policies Finished product administration Ensuring every MTS and BTS product has an up-to-date, active specification on Hamilton Grant Maintaining thorough and current risk assessments, including HACCP and prerequisite programmes Ensuring legality of all Pret BTS and MTS labels and published food information, with up-to-date legislative knowledge Ensuring appropriate shelf life across the Pret range, incorporating safety and quality, and recommending life extensions where suitable Conducting quality taste panels for MTS ingredients, BTS products, and finished products (e.g. Chef’s Specials) as appropriate Delivering internal and external quality reports and trend analysis Shop Facing Monitoring, trending, and responding to shop complaints Monitoring, trending, and responding to customer complaints Generating and reviewing launch documentation for shops (Allergen Guide, Shelf Life Guide, Langar tickets) NPD & innovation Delivering NPD on time and to specification, working closely with suppliers, buyers, and product developers Investigating innovation opportunities within the area Maintaining an external network to “bring the outside in,” aligned to the area or personal passion; Projects Responsible for the on-time and on-specification delivery of projects in my area; including the management of expectations, escalating requirements for resource and support Experience and Skills required Food science or Food technology qualification at degree level 10 experience in food technical roles, preferably within retail or food service. Empathy with natural, fresh food, sustainability, and the environment HACCP Level 4 About you Be kind, honest and generous: bring genuine warmth and your authentic self to work every day. Bring your passion: share our passion for food and exceptional customer service. Spread joy every day: small acts of kindness are a big part of what makes the Pret experience special. We offer £60,000 - £70,000 per annum plus 10% bonus potential Gold Card: We love making people’s day through our food and drinks. That goes for our teams too. That’s why everyone gets a Gold Card. When you’re in the office, your food and drinks are on us. And when you’re not, you can use your Gold Card to get up to 5 Barista-made drinks a day, and 50% off everything else (food, snacks, bottled drinks – the lot). A few more perks You’ll get 33 days of annual leave (including flexible Bank Holidays), increasing to 38 days the longer you’re with us. Free private medical cover, with the option to add family or partner at an additional cost 4% of your pension contribution matched by Pret, rises to 5% after 5 years Life assurance at 3x annual salary Loyalty award for 5, 10, 15, 20 years’ service Flexible Benefits Platform packed with lifestyle discounts Season ticket loans Healthcare cash plan Financial wellbeing provisions Free mortgage services Sabbatical after 3 years Opportunities to support our charity, The Pret Foundation We also offer Individual ways to grow - We offer lots of opportunities for learning, whether you join us for a short stint or the long game, you’re good to grow with us. Including fully funded professional qualifications, leadership development and mentoring. Diversity and belonging - Everyone is welcome at Pret, we want you to feel confident and valued for who you are and to truly belong. Pace and variety - Our work is fast paced with lots of variety, you’ll build a diverse skill set and learn a lot! Community and purpose - We’re proud to make a difference through The Pret Foundation, from tackling homelessness to reducing food waste and creating positive change for people and communities. Our values Happy Teams Happy Customers Amazing Standards Every day Never Standing Still Doing The Right Thing The interview journey Every interview process at Pret begins with the same two stages. First, you’ll have a relaxed 30-minute conversation with our recruitment team so we can get to know you and your experience. Next, you’ll be invited to a one-hour, in-person interview with the hiring manager at our Head Office in London Victoria. Depending on the role and function, there may be additional stages. These could include time spent in one of our shops, completing a task, or meeting a senior leader. Before you apply This role is based at Pret’s Support Centre in London Victoria, where we work in a hybrid way - typically three days a week in the office. We’d love to get to know you, not a robot, so please do not rely on AI to complete your application. Deadline to apply for this role: Monday 5th January 2026