Overview

Position Title: Technologist

Company: Co-op

Location: Stoke-on-Trent, UK

Job Description:

We’re looking for a technologist to join us at Co-op to help us make sure that our own label products are always fully safe, legal, and compliant. We’re committed to providing innovative, ethical, and sustainable products at great prices to our millions of customers. As part of our food commercial team, you’ll be key to making sure our products taste great, and always live up to the highest quality standards for our members and customers.

Responsibilities:

  •  own and drive the quality specification of Co-op products across defined product categories, working in partnership with suppliers and category colleagues to ensure quality is defined and measurable for our customers
  • manage supplier performance by driving compliance to quality, safety, legal and ethical policies, and processes, sharing the results of these with internal and external stakeholders, and pro-actively addressing under-performance within GSCOP guidelines
  • conduct ongoing assessment of the supply base to ensure we use suppliers whose competencies, capability, capacity, and alignment with our policy requirements meet or exceed customer expectations
  • work collaboratively with the category team to support the launch of new products, from product approval to specification and QAS signoff, following the Stage & Gate process
  • share expertise and identify solutions that drive innovation in category, and improvements in product quality, safety, and legality
  • identify and deliver shelf life improvements, efficiencies, and value chain opportunities in the supplier base to support the category commercial strategy
  • build and maintain relationships with all external stakeholders, liaising with external agencies as required

Requirements:

  • food tech degree, or equivalent technical experience with a retailer or manufacturer
  • an understanding of the operational side of food retail
  • excellent people and networking skills
  • strong communication and influencing skills
  • a co-operative and collaborative approach

About Co-op

We’re one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, owned by millions of members. We’re the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer with more than 2,500 local, convenience and medium-sized stores.