Compliance & Process Technologist   

Job title: Compliance & Process Technologist   
Department: Technical 
Responsible to: Compliance & Regulatory Manager
Salary: A competitive salary is available plus great company benefits  
Location: Kettering with flexibility to work from home on an ad hoc basis 
Hours: Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week       

Little Moons are frozen and chilled mochi, a fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine – soft and chewy rice flour dough wrapped around balls of ice cream, cheesecake, or chocolate ganache to create a distinctive, bite-sized, and delicious dessert that’s bursting with flavour.

Their rollout across Europe has been pioneered by sister and brother duo Vivien and Howard Wong, who founded Little Moons in 2010.  The product’s roots are in high-end restaurants, but over the last five years retail packs have swept the ice cream category in grocery and food service.

The business has rapidly established mochi, and snacking ice cream across Europe. In FY22 we generated more than £50m in revenue, and in FY23 we are targeting +50% YoY growth.  Based on experience in the USA, mochi ice cream is likely to make up 2-3% of the total ice cream category within 1-2 years.

We are very proud of the culture that we have built at Little Moons. Not to stroke our own egos, but we are a great bunch of people—smart, passionate, interesting, and funny—who work hard to support and live our values, all the while keeping our mission in our forethoughts. 

The Role:

The Technical Team at Little Moons are the guardians of our delicious products as well as the enablers of future growth. To support the delivery of the ambitious team agenda we’re looking for a self-starter Food Technologist who’s hungry to have impact on a business. This role will be responsible for the compliance part of NPD and EPD process, supporting the delivery of innovation into operations This unusual role is perfect for a process technologist wanting to better their understanding of compliance or an expert in supplier and raw material approval wanting to stretch their skill set into product validation.  Expertise in validation and statistical process control is a bonus but can be learned.

The perfect candidate will be a detail orientated person who also likes to be in the factory. They will see compliance and product validation as natural steps to product approval.

Key Responsibilities:

•    Lead the allergen and claims management systems; advising Innovation feasibility studies and recommending when updates / amends are needed, cascading these across teams. 
•    To be the business expert on all manufacturing processes and their delivery of key product attributes such as micro, organoleptic, chemical and physical parameters (including rheology) and quality standards.  Ensuring all products have a product safety and quality rationale.
•    Key participant in multidisciplinary projects for continuous improvement and efficiency opportunities
•    Work with the Innovation team on trials ensuring the correct validation and statistical process control takes place.
•    Conducting factory trials, ensuring tight management of critical paths is adhered to throughout the trial process up to product launch and post launch review.
•    Organising post-trial outputs including: BOM creation, testing, samples and sensory panels.
•    Completion of NPD/EPD factory documentation and Quality Standards, including operational training with support from the QA team
•    Be the Technical team representative for Innovation meetings; capturing updates, cascading actions and communicating progress to the wider Technical team.
•    Work closely with specifications and artwork technologist as a backup for QUID calculations, pack copy submissions, finished product specifications and artwork checks.  Check off first print copies and first artwork deliveries.
•    Raw material and supplier approval, working closely with procurement where required. 

Essential requirements:

•    The successful candidate must be highly experienced as a process technologist or with compliance experience in a food manufacturing environment
•    Experience working with comparable products / ingredients is advantageous
•    Graduate, preferably in food science or technology 
•    Knowledge of validation and statistical process control
•    Knowledge of BRCGS Food Safety Standard
•    HACCP or Food Safety qualification and knowledge of how NPD/EPD can affect this
•    Self-motivated and excellent communicator
•    Team player with a flexible and positive approach
•    Outstanding attention to detail and ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
•    Lead by example, and have the energy and enthusiasm to overcome and find solutions to challenges that come with a rapidly growing company

Some of the benefits of working here include: 

Little Moons is a fast-growing and dynamic business, the nature of which means roles and responsibilities can change and grow quickly and at scale. We never stand still for long, and for the right person this represents an opportunity to grow and evolve your role and responsibilities with us and to develop your career at pace.

We will provide you with as much support, guidance, and training as you need, and offer the below benefits to boot:

•    Medicash, Private Health Scheme & Life Insurance 
•    Enhanced New Baby Leave available.
•    We understand that mental health matters. We partner with Health Assured to provide remote emotional support to team members.
•    Discretionary annual bonus based on personal & company performance.
•    Up to 4 weeks of paid sick leave
•    Respect, trust, and honesty. Personal and professional maturity is important to us, and we keep each other honest
•    Your holidays – We believe in finding your work-life alignment and encourage all staff to use their 25 days, plus public holidays
•    Additional days off with long service
•    Personal CPD budgets & team volunteer days

To be engaged, you must feel included and valued, so we have built, and nurtured, a culture where inclusiveness is not a buzzword, but a way of being.

Our approach to diversity is simple —it’s about embracing everyone, and everyone is welcome at Little Moons.   We are committed to welcoming everyone, regardless of gender identity, orientation or expression.   We are diverse in age, race, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective. Our diversity fuels our innovation, bring diversity of thought, and connects us closer to our customers and the communities we serve.

All applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.