Assistant Technical & Compliance Manager- Central region

The Wonderfield Group has recently been purchased by Zensho Holdings, the leading food service company in Japan with a market cap of $5.5b and whose aim is to become the worlds largest food company, a position from which we can eradicate hunger and poverty from around the globe. We operate restaurants, factories, and thousands of sushi kiosks and have recently built a successful cut fruit business, Snowfruit. Combining this with the three businesses previously owned by Zensho, AFC, Sushi Circle and Sushi Take, results in annual sales of $2.5b and Ebitda in excess of $140m a year with an ambitious growth trajectory.

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a food safety, technical or quality role within food manufacturing, foodservice, hospitality or retail food environments.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP principles (minimum Level 3).
• Knowledge of food hygiene regulations, allergen management and food safety legislation in the UK.
• Experience conducting audits or internal inspections and managing corrective actions.
• Practical understanding of product specifications and supplier approval processes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and engage teams.
• Highly organised, proactive and solutions-focused with strong attention to detail.

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Food Science, Food Safety, or a related discipline.
• Experience with multi-site or franchise operations.
• Strong IT skills with experience managing technical data within digital systems.

 

Covering Central region  -  Mildlands / Wales area 

Food safety, along with the safety of our teams and customers, is of paramount importance to the organisation. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards while fostering a strong safety culture across all areas of the business.
The Assistant Technical & Compliance Manager will support the delivery of food safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance across all UK sites. The role is responsible for supplier assurance, technical auditing, food safety management systems and product information compliance.
Working closely with Operations, Procurement and external suppliers, the successful candidate will help ensure consistent compliance with company standards and UK food safety legislation. The role will also support the continuous improvement of technical systems, procedures and supplier management processes. This position plays a key role in embedding a proactive food safety culture and supporting the organisation in maintaining audit readiness across all sites.

Key Responsibilities
(list not exhaustive)
Technical & Quality Management
• Coordinate microbiological and surveillance testing programmes in line with agreed schedules, reviewing and monitoring results.
• Liaise with external laboratories to investigate adverse results and ensure appropriate corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
• Conduct cleaning validation and verification activities across sites.
• Support the delivery of technical and quality improvement projects, including system updates, procedural improvements and process validations.
• Monitor and report technical KPIs, identifying trends and recommending improvements to site performance.
• Ensure compliance with company standards and relevant UK food safety legislation.

Supplier Assurance & Compliance
• Manage supplier approval processes, including supplier risk assessments and ongoing monitoring.
• Review and approve supplier specifications and ingredient documentation.
• Request and review relevant supplier documentation including HACCP plans, allergen management procedures, certifications (e.g. BRC, SQF), Halal certification and microbiological testing data.
• Conduct supplier audits to verify compliance with company requirements and applicable legislation.
• Identify non-conformances, implement corrective action plans and verify their effective completion.
• Support the management of product recalls or withdrawals where required and investigate food safety or quality incidents involving suppliers.
• Maintain accurate supplier records and monitor supplier performance trends to support continuous improvement.

Systems & Product Information Management
• Manage and maintain ingredient declarations, allergen information and nutritional data within internal systems such as StarChef.
• Ensure the accuracy of allergen, ingredient and nutritional information across company platforms including websites, partner platforms, POS systems and labelling portals.
• Review and approve product information displayed on printed menus, allergen guides and other customer-facing materials.
• Support traceability systems and incident management processes.

Food Safety implementation and Operational Support
• Support the implementation and maintenance of food safety management systems including HACCP, allergen management, traceability and cleaning verification programmes.
• Conduct internal audits and support with regulatory inspections.
• Ensure all sites always maintain a high level of audit readiness.
• Support operational teams in maintaining high food safety and hygiene standards.
• Provide coaching and guidance to managers and food handlers to reinforce food safety culture and best practices.
• Collaborate with Operations and Training teams to ensure training compliance and accurate recordkeeping.
• Work with the Learning & Development team to support the development of food safety and health & safety training materials, particularly in relation to allergen management.
Regulatory Compliance
• Register new food businesses or site transfers with local authorities where required.
• Act as a point of contact for environmental health and regulatory authorities when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with relevant UK food safety legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor developments in food safety legislation, trading standards, packaged goods and PPDS (Natasha’s Law) regulations and ensure business practices remain compliant.
Continuous Improvement & Culture
• Promote and champion a strong food safety and quality culture across all sites.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of SOPs and technical procedures to ensure they remain effective and operationally practical.
• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to improve food safety systems and supplier performance.
• Investigate and manage serious food safety complaints including allergen incidents, alleged foreign bodies and alleged food poisoning cases, ensuring appropriate documentation, investigation and corrective actions are implemented.
• Identify preventative measures to minimise food safety risks and incidents.
• Prepare and share technical and food safety reports with the Safety, Operations and relevant business teams.

 

We're proud to offer:

• Fantastic hybrid working environment working Mon- Thurs on site and generally Fridays from home.
• Opportunity to grow your career alongside with us with available apprentice program
• Brilliant support services designed to enhance your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
• Annual discretionary bonus subject to business and overall performance
• Discretionary Life Assurance
• Discretionary Income Protection
• Group Personal Pension
• Private Medical Cash Plan
• Bespoke reward platform including access to retail, cinema & gym discounts.
• 50% off your food every time you dine with us for you and 3 friends.
• Contribute towards our award-winning sustainability initiatives that delivers progress against 9 UN sustainability goals. We're committed to responsibly sourcing and all our seafood, therefore we only use source sustainable fish. All our packaging is recyclable and 80% of our packaging is already made from recycled plastic.
• Annual Awards ceremony celebrating our success and offering winning Managers free trips to Japan.

About us:

Come roll with us and be part of something big. Celebrate global success across:

• Over 1500 retail kiosks globally (YO!, Panku, Mai Taiko Snowfox & Bento)
• Our Taiko manufacturing and distribution centre
• 63 YO! restaurants
• 50 major retail partners
• 3700 locations globally From Hawaii to Aberdeen

Our Values

• Own it, Care About it, Make it Exceptional, Win Together

Ready to Roll?

Come roll with us and play a key role by bringing people together to celebrate better food for everyone the Japanese way...