We’re now working in a hybrid way, with colleagues dividing their time between home/remote working and the office (1-2 days per week). You can find out more about our hybrid working policy at colleagues.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy
The role
We’re experiencing an exciting period of growth and expansion in our food technical team, and we’re looking for a dedicated Food Technologist to help us maintain the highest standards for our own-label products. There are 5 permanent opportunities plus 1 12 month FTC in the following areas:
- Protein
- Ambient
- Chilled (1x permanent position and 1x 12 month FTC)
- Bakery
- Produce
In this role, you’ll work closely with our food commercial team to ensure that our products are not only safe, legal, and compliant, but also taste amazing and consistently meet our rigorous quality standards. Your focus will be on maintaining the highest quality standards, protecting our brand’s reputation, and driving continuous improvement, innovation, and compliance.
Join a forward-thinking team at the forefront of industry innovation and have the opportunity to grow your career within a business that places people at the heart of everything we do.
You’ll support our team aim of ‘Delivering safe, authentic, sustainable supply chains, as we strive to make a positive impact for customers, the environment, and our Co-op.
What you’ll do
- Drive quality specification for Co-op products across defined categories, ensuring measurable quality in partnership with suppliers and category colleagues.
- Manage supplier performance, ensuring compliance with quality, safety, legal, and ethical policies, and address under-performance within GSCOP guidelines.
- Assess the supply base to ensure suppliers meet or exceed customer expectations in terms of competency, capability, capacity, and policy alignment.
- Collaborate with category teams to support new product launches, from approval to specification and QAS signoff, following the Stage & Gate process.
- Identify solutions to drive innovation, improve product quality, safety, and legality within the category.
- Deliver shelf-life improvements, efficiencies, and value chain opportunities to support the category’s commercial strategy.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, ensuring all Co-op brand products meet food safety and technical auditing requirements.
- Stay up-to-date with legislation and Co-op policies, ensuring compliance and supporting iconic market-leading product launches.
About you
- A Food Tech or Food Science degree, or equivalent technical experience with a retail, hospitality, food services or manufacturing
- A Food Safety Qualification - HACCP/ GMP/ Hygiene
- Strong understanding of microbiology and nutrition
- Willingness to travel nationwide or internationally for site visits
- An understanding of the operational side of food retail
- Strong communication and networking skills
- A co-operative and collaborative approach
Why Co-op?
Here you’ll do work that matters. We’re a commercial organisation with a purpose beyond profit, you’ll have an opportunity to help us build a stronger Co-op and stronger communities. You’ll also get a package that includes:
- competitive salary
- company car
- coaching, training and support to help you develop
- pension with up to 10% employer contributions
- annual incentive scheme
- Wagestream - a money management app that gives you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
- 28 days holiday (rising to 32 in line with service)
- discounts on Co-op products and services
At Co-op, we’re proud to do things a different way. As one of the world’s largest co-operatives, owned by millions of members, community is at the heart of what we do. Since our Co-op was founded in 1844, we’ve had a clear social purpose, and everything we do as a business helps to build a fairer world for our members, customers, colleagues, and communities.
