Head of Technical Development and Quality

Britvic; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly product allowance

Private Medical options

Life Assurance

Company bonus scheme

24/7 GP services

Enhanced pension contribution

High street discounts

Job summary

Carlsberg Britvic is seeking a Head of Technical Development and Quality to lead dispense and equipment strategy from Tamworth with a hybrid work model. You will manage a team, partner with suppliers and internal brands to drive innovation, ensure safety and quality, and deliver sustainable growth while shaping future customer solutions.

The role requires strategic thinking, NPD and supplier management experience, and the ability to lead through ambiguity in a rapidly evolving drinks landscape.

Qualifications

• Experience translating vision into a development roadmap for dispense and chill equipment.
• Experience delivering new product development and managing supplier outputs.
• Strong technical background in equipment used in production/logistics environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead lifecycle strategy for dispense and chiller equipment throughout the business.
• Develop a technical development roadmap aligned to customer and business needs.
• Partner with commercial, customer experience, and operational teams to drive innovation.
• Build relationships with suppliers and key partners to adopt emerging technologies.
• Own stage-gate processes for equipment innovation, testing, and deployment.
• Lead and develop a team of engineers and H&S specialists.
• Manage CAPEX budgets for innovation with commercial value and growth.
• Drive improvements in equipment performance, quality, efficiency and sustainability.
• Ensure compliance with safety, legal and quality standards while protecting IP.
• Establish a long-term vision for technical development and customer solutions.

Skills

Visionary thinking

NPD experience

Supplier management

Technical knowledge

Technology evaluation

Line management

Strategic planning

Job description

Head of Technical Development and Quality

Job Title: Head of Technical Development & Quality

Location: Tamworth / Hybrid

Job Length: Permanent

Working Hours: 37.5

Competitive Salary with extensive benefits :

• Monthly product allowance – alcoholic & non-alcoholic options available
• Private Medical options
• Life Assurance
• Company bonus scheme
• Access to 24/7 GP services
• Enhanced pension contribution
• Access to a range of high street discounts

Carlsberg Britvic is the largest multi-beverage supplier in the UK and is home to some of the most iconic and popular beers & soft drinks, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, 1664, Poretti and Brooklyn to ale favourites such as Hobgoblin and Wainwright. For soft drinks, Carlsberg Britvic’s brands include J2O, Robinsons, Tango and London Essence along with the licence rights to the Pepsi portfolio in the UK including Pepsi MAX, 7UP, Lipton Iced Tea and Rockstar Energy.

With a strong national footprint, the Carlsberg Britvic business includes 5 production facilities and 16 logistics depot’s servicing customers up and down the UK. As these two historical businesses have come together, the one common goal remains, and that is ensuring our people succeed.

The Head of Technical Development and Dispense Quality is a newly created leadership role within Customer Operations, responsible for shaping the future of dispense and chilled equipment across Carlsberg Britvic. Leading a team of four, including two direct reports, you will work closely with suppliers, Carlsberg, PepsiCo, and internal brand, liquid development, and commercial teams to drive innovation, enhance dispense quality, and deliver a sustainable competitive advantage that helps retain and win customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the lifecycle strategy for dispense and chiller equipment, ensuring timely and cost-effective introduction, upgrade, and retirement.
• Develop and deliver a technical development roadmap for beer and soft drinks, aligned to customer and business needs.
• Partner with commercial, customer experience, and operational teams to drive competitive advantage through FOH and BOH equipment innovation.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers, Carlsberg, PepsiCo, and other key partners to identify and implement emerging technologies.
• Own the development and governance of stage-gate processes for equipment innovation, testing, and deployment.
• Lead and develop a team of technical development engineers, product engineers, and H&S specialists.
• Manage innovation and technical development CAPEX budgets, ensuring investment delivers commercial value and sustainable growth.
• Drive continuous improvement across equipment performance, quality, efficiency, sustainability, and consumer experience.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, legal, and quality standards while protecting company and partner intellectual property.
• Establish a long-term vision for technical development, using market insight and thought leadership to shape future customer solutions and business strategy.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required

• Creative thinker able to capture a vision of the future and understand the impacts and opportunities this creates for the business
• Process management and experience of delivering NPD
• Experience of managing suppliers in terms of commerciality and timely outputs in line with expectations
• Technical knowledge of equipment and/or other transferrable experience of production/logistics environment
• Ability to understand new technologies and critically assess capability of partners new and old to provide CBBV with the capability we need
• Line management of individuals with high technical skills, and proven ability to work with ambiguity in order to establish a way forward
• Ability to respond to short term needs, whilst keeping true to a longer term vision of success

This is an exciting time to join our newly formed business – with their incredible individual history’s, innovation of products and some of the UK’s most iconic brands, Carlsberg Britvic strives to deliver the best service to our customers and consumers. We aim to make a difference, bringing together two diverse companies, our global reach enables opportunity, growth and a chance to work with some fantastic people.