Compliance Technologist

Company

IPN is an innovative, well-established, and award-winning pet food manufacturer, employing over 850 people across our 4 UK manufacturing sites. Our family of brands include Harringtons, Wagg, Barking Heads & Meowing Heads, AATU, Blink, Butchers, Classic Cat and a selection of partner brands that trust us to produce food on their behalf. Our kitchens in Thirsk, Kinmel and Crick produce dry, wet, and baked foods which are enjoyed by dogs and cats all over the world.

Compliance Technologist

We are excited to be recruiting a Compliance Technologist to join our Technical team in Kinmel, North Wales.

Role

The Compliance Technologist role will create and maintain IPN's policies to help lead IPN's standards for food safety, quality, authenticity and legality across three key areas - compliance, specifications and supplier approval.

Compliance: To review the manufacturing and logistics facilities and office locations, to check they adhere to relevant regulations, quality standards, and internal policies. Assisting the auditing team with monitoring, evaluating, and improving compliance through gap analysis and raising appropriate Audit Non-Conformances. Through sponsoring or project managing the Audit Non-Conformances you will ensure timely follow ups and close out and that long term corrective action and compliance is in place.

Specifications: To ensure appropriate specifications systems are in place creating clear standards for products. The development of specifications to ensure specifications are available for all SKUs and intermediary raw materials (inc. WIP outputs such as Fresh Ingredient Kitchen ingredients), to ensure all products conform to legislation and customer requirements.

Supplier Approval: Assist with the management of the supplier approval process to ensure new and existing suppliers meet the company's quality and safety standards. Communicating with and auditing suppliers to evaluate the approval level of suppliers. Raising non-conformances to suppliers when required and work with suppliers to have effective closure to any issues.

Responsibilities

• Carry out Food Safety and Quality audits for manufacturing sites and quality management systems to demonstrate food safety, authenticity, quality and legal requirements are being met. Assisting sites during audits with the presentation of documentation and site standards.
• Assist with the maintenance of company specifications, including customer online portals, raw materials, and in-house finished products.
• Evaluate and approve new suppliers based on their ability to meet the company's quality, safety, and sustainability standards. Conduct risk assessments of new and existing suppliers to identify potential issues that could affect product quality or safety. Ensure timely evaluation and approval, working with all parties to make sure we have a competitive advantage, and our customers (internal and external) are satisfied. 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Level 3 Food Science or equivalent qualification
• In depth knowledge of HACCP, TACCP, and VACCP (Including level 3 HACCP training)
• Internal auditor training
• BRCGs certification and retail customer standards knowledge
• Understanding of supplier risk management, quality control processes, and food manufacturing operations
• Knowledge of web-based customer specification systems
• Knowledge of writing specifications in food manufacturing environments
• Knowledge of legal labelling and legislation and applications
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and industry standards for pet food safety and quality.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills to work effectively with suppliers and internal customers.

The Offer:

• Location: Kinmel, North Wales
• Salary: Competitive
• 10% annual company bonus scheme
• Hours: 40 hours per week - Monday to Friday (hybrid working)
• Pension: Employee contributions 3% / Employer contribution 8%(salary sacrifice company pension scheme)
• Holidays: 25 days + Bank Holidays
• Medicash Plan
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/pawternity
• Other Benefits: Free parking, tasty treats, bring your dog to work, discounted products & free hot drinks
• Choice of a series of non-contractual flexible benefits, including cycle to work, workplace nurseries and dental insurance. These are offered through salary sacrifice or pay deductions.