Senior Technical Manager

Morepeople 01780; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a Senior Technical Manager to join a prominent UK food brand. This role involves ensuring food safety standards, managing supplier quality, and leading technical improvements to maintain product excellence. Candidates should have significant experience in food technical roles, a degree in Food Science or Technology, and strong communication skills. The position offers exciting travel opportunities and hybrid work arrangements.

Benefits

Up to 33 days of holiday

Free medical cover

4% pension contribution matched

Life assurance at 3x salary

Flexi-time and hybrid working

Financial wellbeing provisions

Opportunities to support charity

Sabbatical after 3 years

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in food technical roles, preferably in manufacture, retail, or food service.
• Strong familiarity with HACCP principles and practices.
• Experience with supplier alignment and quality assurance.

Responsibilities

• Keep suppliers aligned with the Food Technical & Safety Framework.
• Manage quality issues and corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance via KPIs.
• Lead taste panels to ensure product standards.

Skills

Food technical roles experience

Excellent communication skills

Collaboration skills

Problem-solving skills

Passion for natural food

Education

Degree in Food Science or Food Technology

HACCP/Food Safety certifications

Job description

Senior Technical Manager - Where Food Safety Meets Innovation!

Are you a food nerd with a passion for quality, safety, and making delicious things happen? We are exclusively working with Pret a Manger for a Senior Technical Manager to help keep their UK shops serving food that's not just tasty-but also safe, legal, and on-brand.

In this role, you'll be the guardian of all things technical: ensuring ingredients and finished products meet Pret standards, driving continuous improvement with suppliers, and shaping how their food is enjoyed across the UK. You'll work closely with their buying, NPD, supply chain, and food teams to make sure every bite lives up to their reputation for excellence.

What You'll Do:

• Keep suppliers aligned with Pret's Food Technical & Safety Framework

• Manage quality issues with fail-safe corrective actions

• Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance via KPIs

• Ensure all products have up-to-date, accurate specs and HACCP risk assessments

• Oversee NPD launches with robust allergen management, shelf-life optimisation, and due diligence

• Lead taste panels and make sure every product meets "Pret standards"

• Support ESG goals at the supplier level

• Bring industry insight, innovation, and technical expertise to the team

You’ll Need:

• Proven experience in food technical roles (manufacture, retail, or food service) - ideally 5 years minimum

• Degree-level Food Science or Food Technology qualification

• Advanced HACCP/Food Safety certifications (Lead Auditor a plus)

• Retail or foodservice supply chain experience

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills

• Passion for natural, fresh food, sustainability, and the environment

Perks & Extras:

• Nationwide and international travel - see the food world up close

• Up to 33 days of holiday, including (flexi) Bank Holidays

• Free private medical cover, with the option to add family or partner at an additional cost

• 4% of your pension contribution is matched by Pret

• Life assurance at 3x annual salary

• Loyalty award for 5, 10, 15, 20 years' service

• Flexi-time and hybrid working (3 days in the office, two days at home)

• Lifestyle savings

• Season ticket loans

• Healthcare cash plan

• Financial wellbeing provisions

• Free mortgage services

• Sabbatical after 3 years

• Opportunities to support our charity, The Pret Foundation

• Work at the heart of Pret's technical team shaping the future of food

• Be part of a brand renowned for quality, ethics, and innovation

If you live and breathe food safety, love solving problems, and want to make an impact at a brand people trust and love, this is your next adventure.

Ready to take the Pret pledge on food excellence? Contact Luan Harrison at MorePeople for further information or press apply now and join a team that's making food better, safer, and tastier every day.