Group Head of Food Safety

Group Head of Food Safety & Public Health - Chessington, London

Job Type: Full Time

What you'll bring to the team

At Merlin Entertainments, we have a passion for creating magical experiences and putting smiles on faces across our global attractions. Central to our mission is our unwavering commitment to the highest standards in Health, Safety, and Security (HSS). We are dedicated to protecting our visitors, employees, and everyone who interacts with our attractions worldwide. HSS is our number one priority, and Food Safety and Public Health are core aspects of our program. These principles are deeply embedded in our corporate values, culture, and daily operations through our 'Protecting the Magic' initiative. This program empowers our teams to manage risks, prevent accidents, and deliver unforgettable guest experiences. Every Merlin employee plays a vital role in safeguarding our guests, colleagues, and the animals in our care.

We are looking for a Group Head of Food Safety & Public Health to join our HSS team on a permanent basis. The role can be based at the Merlin Technical Hub (Thorpe Park Resort), or any other UK Merlin attractions or office, with a hybrid element for those looking for more flexibility.

You will lead and enhance our food safety policies, procedures, and standards across our global attractions. This role involves collaboration, strategic development, compliance assurance, and proactive management of food safety and public health risks. You will be instrumental in creating a safe, hygienic, and enjoyable experience for everyone at Merlin Entertainments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Food Safety Standards: Ensure high standards in the implementation and adherence to food safety systems.
• Collaboration: Work closely with global attractions, Food & Beverage, and Procurement teams to enhance food safety policies and standards.
• Compliance: Understand and ensure compliance with local legislative requirements.
• Consistency: Maintain a focus on consistent food safety across all sites, implementing effective strategies.
• Monitoring: Monitor, measure, and report on key food safety operational issues.
• Training: Ensure thorough understanding of the food safety program and identify training needs.
• Strategy Development: Develop and implement food safety strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Improvement Opportunities: Identify opportunities for improvement and support their achievement.
• Audits: Oversee all internal and external food safety audits, including supplier audits and regulatory inspections.
• Regulatory Relationships: Build relationships with enforcement authorities and serve as a contact point for regulatory issues.
• Incident Management: Investigate and report food safety complaints and incidents, ensuring lessons are learned.
• Supplier Management: Develop and implement supplier management, product recall, and complaint reduction strategies.
• Risk Assessment: Apply HACCP risk assessments for proposed changes to equipment, processes, ingredients, or products.
• Crisis Management: Manage crisis management and product recall policies with Procurement teams, ensuring effectiveness through regular testing.
• Guest Services: Work with Guest Services to address food safety-related guest complaints satisfactorily.
• HACCP Forum: Chair the company’s HACCP forum and develop relationships with global Food Safety nominees.
• F&B Management: Assist in broader F&B management and compliance activities, including product ingredients, packaging, labeling, and nutritional information.
• Legislation Compliance: Lead or support programs for compliance with new or emerging food production/service legislation.
• Public Health Guidance: Develop guidance on managing public health risks affecting Merlin’s attractions.
• Preparedness: Ensure preparedness for public health risks through proactive liaison with attractions and training.
• Incident Support: Support attractions during public health incidents or outbreaks and liaise with public health authorities.
• Continuous Improvement: Keep the business informed of new food safety or public health legislation and guidance, implementing actions for compliance and continuous improvement.

If you’re passionate about food safety, public health, and creating safe, memorable experiences, we want you on our team Apply today and be part of a global leader in entertainment, committed to excellence in Health, Safety, and Security.

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience in restaurant chain or big hotel brand food safety and hygiene management.
• Can demonstrate an excellent understanding of HACCP, ISO 22000 and supporting food safety / hygiene standards and techniques.
• Can demonstrate the application of excellent food safety knowledge and skills within an international business which has geographically diverse operating locations.
• Can demonstrate the ability to quickly understand food safety management systems and standards, and ensure that these are effectively implemented and improved at attraction / site level.
• Can demonstrate a clear understanding of exemplary food preparation, handling and service in a consumer facing business. Also, knowledge of kitchen health and safety risks and associated controls.
• Can demonstrate a consistent, systematic approach to conducting audits. Can demonstrate experience of managing audit visits and corrective actions with a site.
• Can demonstrate a capability to carry out full investigations, identifying correct root causes and preventative and corrective actions.
• Can apply successfully strong influential and problem solving skills.
• Able to use IT systems within relevant software (Inc. MS Office). 
• Has a broad working knowledge of HR policies, standards and the law in relation to the employment of people (e.g. recruitment, induction, probation, training and development, appraisal, absence, discipline, grievance, etc.)
• Degree, or appropriate educational level, qualification in food safety / food hygiene or similar.
• HACCP level 4 qualification (Advanced). 
• Significant experience in a Food Safety and/or Public Health environment, ideally delivering food safety management and support across a wide range of projects and teams.
• Experience of conducting investigations of outbreaks and public health incidents and able to demonstrate an understanding of infection control measures.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills with the ability to motivate a geographically dispersed and international team.
• Must be able to travel to our attractions in the UK and overseas. Driving license and passport essential.

Benefits

We’re growing fast and alongside a fun and friendly environment, we offer a fabulous package and amazing prospects – ideal if you’re already fantastic and want to become even better (our magic can help here). Benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, discretionary company bonus, 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, a Merlin Magic Pass which gives you and your friends and family free admission to all of our attractions worldwide, an Enjoy the Ride pass which entitles you and 5 loved ones unlimited entry into your regional attractions, 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants and 40% discount on LEGO, plus lots more

If you have any questions or if you require any assistance, because of a disability or medical condition, please contact us and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

At Merlin we welcome the world to our magical attractions and resorts every day and we want to reflect that same multicultural mix inside our business too. We strive to create an inclusive and diverse workplace where people can be themselves, have the same opportunities and thrive together. Because at Merlin, everyone matters

Together, we work to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, no matter their age, race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. Although we understand that we'll always be learning and growing, we aim to be the most inclusive and flexible employer in our industry.