Divisional Technical Controller

Compleat Food Group; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car Allowance

Bonus

Benefits

33 days annual leave

Job summary

The Compleat Food Group is recruiting three Divisional Technical Controllers across our Fried, Deli, and Pastry divisions. These high-profile roles demand strategic technical leadership to shape standards of food safety, quality, authenticity, and compliance across multiple sites.

Reporting to the Divisional Technical Director, you will drive customer engagement, risk management, and continuous improvement while leading a Heads of Technical community and developing talent within the division.

Qualifications

• Significant senior technical management experience within food manufacturing.
• Strong experience within chilled and short shelf-life food production.
• Extensive knowledge of major UK retailer technical standards and codes of practice.
• Detailed understanding of BRCGS Global Food Safety Standards.
• Strong knowledge of microbiology, food safety, and risk management.
• Experience managing technical teams across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Divisional Technical Director when required.
• Lead and support customer technical initiatives, projects, and communications.
• Ensure compliance with customer codes of practice across all divisional sites.
• Prepare and present technical performance reviews, KPIs, and customer reports.
• Drive data-led decision-making and proactive issue management.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventative action programmes.
• Embed a strong food safety and quality culture across multiple sites.
• Provide leadership during significant customer, quality, or food safety incidents.
• Drive technical performance through site reviews and systems maturity assessments.
• Build strong relationships with retailers and key customer stakeholders.

Skills

Senior technical leadership

Food manufacturing

Quality standards

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Education

Food Science or related degree

Level 4 Food Safety qualification

Job description

Location: Hybrid / Flexible (UK Travel Required)
Salary: £68,000 - £75,000 + Car Allowance + Bonus + Benefits

Join The Compleat Food Group

At The Compleat Food Group, we're on a mission to create food that people love. As one of the UK's leading chilled food manufacturers, we supply many of the nation's biggest retailers and continue to invest in our people, products, and capabilities.

We're currently recruiting three Divisional Technical Controllers, with opportunities available across our Fried, Deli, and Pastry divisions.

These are high-profile leadership roles, offering the opportunity to influence technical strategy across multiple manufacturing sites, shape customer relationships, develop technical talent, and drive standards of food safety, quality, authenticity, and compliance across your division.

If you're an experienced senior technical leader looking for a broader, more strategic role with genuine scope and visibility, we'd love to hear from you.

The Role

Reporting to the Divisional Technical Director, you'll provide both strategic and operational technical leadership across your division, ensuring consistently high standards of:

• Food Safety
• Product Quality
• Legality
• Authenticity
• Customer Compliance

You'll work closely with Heads of Technical, site leadership teams, central technical functions, and major retail customers to ensure robust technical systems, effective risk management, continuous improvement, and a proactive quality culture.

You'll also act as a key customer-facing representative and be a senior escalation point for technical and quality matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Divisional Technical Director when required.
• Lead and support customer technical initiatives, projects, and communications.
• Ensure compliance with customer codes of practice across all divisional sites.
• Prepare and present technical performance reviews, KPIs, and customer reports.
• Drive data-led decision-making and proactive issue management.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventative action programmes.
• Embed a strong food safety and quality culture across multiple sites.
• Provide leadership during significant customer, quality, or food safety incidents.
• Drive consistency and best practice across the division.
• Lead and develop the Heads of Technical community.
• Support shelf-life optimisation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive technical performance through site reviews and systems maturity assessments.
• Build strong relationships with retailers and key customer stakeholders.
• Ensure divisional understanding and delivery of customer expectations.
• Coach and develop technical talent while strengthening succession plans.

About You

We're looking for an experienced technical leader who thrives in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

You'll have:

• Significant senior technical management experience within food manufacturing.
• Strong experience within chilled and short shelf-life food production.
• Extensive knowledge of major UK retailer technical standards and codes of practice.
• Detailed understanding of BRCGS Global Food Safety Standards.
• Strong knowledge of microbiology, food safety, and risk management.
• Experience managing technical teams across multiple sites.
• A proven track record of customer engagement and leadership.
• Food Science, Food Technology, or related degree.
• Level 4 Food Safety qualification.

AtThe Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your lifestyle, wellbeing, and career growth:

• Company Bonus Schemerecognising performance and contribution
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes- including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work, and SMART Pension
• 33 days’ annual leave(including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra
• Access toenhanced retail discountsonline and in-store
• Free product handoutsacross our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand
• EV charging points- available at selected sites
• 24/7 access toGroceryAidfor free financial, emotional, and practical support
• Physical Wellbeing Hub- free on-demand exercise programmes, online classes and multiple gym discounts
• Free diet & nutrition advicewith access to thousands of meal plans and healthy recipes
• Online wellbeing support- from mindfulness to lifestyle resources
• Financial wellbeing tools- including mortgage calculators, budgeting tools, and financial aid
• Access to apersonalised online learning platform (LMS)
• Formal and informal trainingopportunities tailored to your role
• Performance Development Plansand regularCareer Conversations
• Industry leading company Mentoring Schemeto add depth and really support your career journey
• Recognition throughClub Compleatrewards portal

Community & Culture

• 2 paid volunteering daysper year to give back to causes that matter to you
• Charity initiativesand fundraising events
• Team socialsto connect and celebrate together
• Employee networks & support groups - including Women @ Compleat
• New baby giftfor new parents

What You Should Know About How We Recruit

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe great teams are built on difference. We create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and are able to be themselves at work. We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, just let us know, we’ll support you — confidentially and with care. We hire the best people for our roles, not the same people. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, we focus on what you do and the impact you could make in our business. Our recruitment process is fair, accessible, and designed to give everyone an equal chance. You’ll also find benefits that support people at every life stage, plus active internal networks — including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodiversity

20-11-2026

Job attachments

Job_Description_-_Divisional_Technical_Controller.docx