Technical Manager
| Posting date: | 19 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £60,000 to £62,000 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 June 2025 |
| Location: | Essex, EN9 1AS |
| Company: | Jollyes The Pet People |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | ORG5653-NL1313762WalTM |
Summary
Technical Manager, based Waltham Abbey (Hybrid role). 9m fixed term contract. Salary c£60-62k pro rata + many benefits. Joining Jollyes The Pet People to cover a vital role for a fixed term cover contract, you’ll be leading all technical requirements from a product and packaging perspective (pet food & accessories), being the key person for all ‘own brand’ technical and nutritional requirements, ensuring safety and quality standards are met and leading on ESG development and policies from a product perspective. Great opportunity to make a big impact in a short time and experience the wonderful world of pets!
The Benefits
In return for your skills and experience as a Technical Manager, we offer you the following:
Competitive salary of c £60-62k p.a. (pro rata) for an initial 9 month contract, starting July/Aug ’25.
iTrent financial wellbeing package, powered by Wagestream, enabling access to earnings before pay day plus lots more discounts and savings benefits.
Retail Trust membership – counselling, wellbeing and financial support for the retail industry
Colleague ‘Treats’ – numerous discounts on up to 800 high street retailers and online service providers from groceries to holidays and cinema trips
Colleague ‘We Care’ wellbeing & medical support services – online GP, mental health support, get fit programme and much more.
50% off Jollyes branded products (and 30% off other brands in store for your pet’s needs!) with discounts for our groomers and pet clinics too.
Cycle2Work scheme – up to 47% off a new bike & accessories via Halfords
Discounted membership for David Lloyd Clubs - access to gym, pool, spa, classes, racquet sports, kids clubs and more
This is a full time, hybrid role involving 3 x office days per week at our pet-friendly support office in Waltham Abbey, or supplier visits, and 2 x days per week from home (or other Jollyes location as preferred). 37.5 hours per week, 9m contract.
The Role – (Interim) Technical Manager
This role sits within our Commercial team and is responsible for leading all technical requirements from a product and packaging perspective (pet food and accessories), being the key person for all ‘own brand’ technical and nutritional requirements, ensuring safety and quality standards are met and leading on ESG development and policies from a product perspective.
Success measures: board and executive team updates, actions to maintain company and supplier compliance, ensuring recall procedures are effective, measuring and managing complaints including Trustpilot reviews, growth in ‘own brand’ participation.
A full job description is available on request, but to summarise your key responsibilities:
Quality Assurance:
Approve and oversee Jollyes recipes, collaborating with suppliers to establish and implement product specifications.
Manage production trials and scientific studies to drive product improvements.
Resolve product quality issues and provide internal training on recipes, nutrition, and manufacturing processes.
Our pet food range involves lots of meat products that you’ll encounter on factory visits, so consideration should be given prior to application if that is not something you can work with.
Legal Compliance:
Ensure accurate product labelling and compliance with FEDIAF nutritional guidelines.
Liaise with suppliers, Trading Standards, and external technical consultants to meet best practice guidance.
Safety Management:
Manage HACCP and recall policies, and implement testing protocols.
Stay updated on nutritional developments and communicate relevant changes to the team.
Brand Reputation:
Support customer service with nutritional inquiries and complaints.
Lead product improvements to enhance sustainability and minimize environmental impact.
Brand Development:
Provide technical expertise for new product development and packaging updates.
Research new ingredient suppliers and generate new product concepts based on customer insights and market trends.
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance):
Following up relevant departments for reporting data on various things like carbon emissions, waste, utilities.
Seeing any anomalies in the data and following up to understand reasons and dealing with third parties where necessary.
The Skills – (Interim) Technical Manager
To be successful in this role, you’ll need the following skills, experience and qualities:
Share our values of being: Wise, Focused, Genuine, Eager, Together
Background in biological or nutritional sciences
Experience as a Technical Manager for a similar food-related product range, understanding the legalities of food safety.
Strong communication and organizational skills – time management and managing own workload.
Ability to work cross-functionally and influence internal and external teams.
Excellent prioritization and crisis management skills, able to handle emotional complaints with empathy and balance.
Detail-oriented, diplomatic, and confident in representing the company externally, for example experience of dealing with Trading Standards.
Comfortable working in a stand-alone role as a subject matter expert.
Strong excel skills, able to update progress on existing cases.
About Jollyes – The Pet People
Jollyes are an award-winning UK pet retailer with over 100 stores and 50 years of pet expertise between our paws. Winners of the Pet Industry Federation ‘Best Pet Retailer 2023’, Retail Week award for ‘Best Retailer 2024’ (under £250m t/o), and listed in the Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Work’ you really can be sure you’re joining a great brand and employer, trusted by our customers and our colleagues.
To Apply:
If you’re looking for a role with a company who will truly value you and recognize your contribution with some fantastic rewards and benefits, where you can really make a difference, click to apply today!
Respectfully no agencies please
The Benefits
In return for your skills and experience as a Technical Manager, we offer you the following:
Competitive salary of c £60-62k p.a. (pro rata) for an initial 9 month contract, starting July/Aug ’25.
iTrent financial wellbeing package, powered by Wagestream, enabling access to earnings before pay day plus lots more discounts and savings benefits.
Retail Trust membership – counselling, wellbeing and financial support for the retail industry
Colleague ‘Treats’ – numerous discounts on up to 800 high street retailers and online service providers from groceries to holidays and cinema trips
Colleague ‘We Care’ wellbeing & medical support services – online GP, mental health support, get fit programme and much more.
50% off Jollyes branded products (and 30% off other brands in store for your pet’s needs!) with discounts for our groomers and pet clinics too.
Cycle2Work scheme – up to 47% off a new bike & accessories via Halfords
Discounted membership for David Lloyd Clubs - access to gym, pool, spa, classes, racquet sports, kids clubs and more
This is a full time, hybrid role involving 3 x office days per week at our pet-friendly support office in Waltham Abbey, or supplier visits, and 2 x days per week from home (or other Jollyes location as preferred). 37.5 hours per week, 9m contract.
The Role – (Interim) Technical Manager
This role sits within our Commercial team and is responsible for leading all technical requirements from a product and packaging perspective (pet food and accessories), being the key person for all ‘own brand’ technical and nutritional requirements, ensuring safety and quality standards are met and leading on ESG development and policies from a product perspective.
Success measures: board and executive team updates, actions to maintain company and supplier compliance, ensuring recall procedures are effective, measuring and managing complaints including Trustpilot reviews, growth in ‘own brand’ participation.
A full job description is available on request, but to summarise your key responsibilities:
Quality Assurance:
Approve and oversee Jollyes recipes, collaborating with suppliers to establish and implement product specifications.
Manage production trials and scientific studies to drive product improvements.
Resolve product quality issues and provide internal training on recipes, nutrition, and manufacturing processes.
Our pet food range involves lots of meat products that you’ll encounter on factory visits, so consideration should be given prior to application if that is not something you can work with.
Legal Compliance:
Ensure accurate product labelling and compliance with FEDIAF nutritional guidelines.
Liaise with suppliers, Trading Standards, and external technical consultants to meet best practice guidance.
Safety Management:
Manage HACCP and recall policies, and implement testing protocols.
Stay updated on nutritional developments and communicate relevant changes to the team.
Brand Reputation:
Support customer service with nutritional inquiries and complaints.
Lead product improvements to enhance sustainability and minimize environmental impact.
Brand Development:
Provide technical expertise for new product development and packaging updates.
Research new ingredient suppliers and generate new product concepts based on customer insights and market trends.
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance):
Following up relevant departments for reporting data on various things like carbon emissions, waste, utilities.
Seeing any anomalies in the data and following up to understand reasons and dealing with third parties where necessary.
The Skills – (Interim) Technical Manager
To be successful in this role, you’ll need the following skills, experience and qualities:
Share our values of being: Wise, Focused, Genuine, Eager, Together
Background in biological or nutritional sciences
Experience as a Technical Manager for a similar food-related product range, understanding the legalities of food safety.
Strong communication and organizational skills – time management and managing own workload.
Ability to work cross-functionally and influence internal and external teams.
Excellent prioritization and crisis management skills, able to handle emotional complaints with empathy and balance.
Detail-oriented, diplomatic, and confident in representing the company externally, for example experience of dealing with Trading Standards.
Comfortable working in a stand-alone role as a subject matter expert.
Strong excel skills, able to update progress on existing cases.
About Jollyes – The Pet People
Jollyes are an award-winning UK pet retailer with over 100 stores and 50 years of pet expertise between our paws. Winners of the Pet Industry Federation ‘Best Pet Retailer 2023’, Retail Week award for ‘Best Retailer 2024’ (under £250m t/o), and listed in the Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Work’ you really can be sure you’re joining a great brand and employer, trusted by our customers and our colleagues.
To Apply:
If you’re looking for a role with a company who will truly value you and recognize your contribution with some fantastic rewards and benefits, where you can really make a difference, click to apply today!
Respectfully no agencies please