Job Description

Kepak is one of Europe’s leading food companies with manufacturing sites across Ireland and the UK. Kepak’s vision is to be a successful, sustainable, future ready Food Business with differentiation at its core, that is a great place to work. This vision is underpinned by our values of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion For Food & Teamwork.

Kepak Meat Division UK is one of the UK’s leading food processing companies operating 3 manufacturing sites across the UK with a core focus on meat and protein-based products, our turnover is approximately £600m. Our company is dedicated to delivering high-quality food products, we have up to 2,000 people supporting our mission to innovate and excel in the food industry, providing exceptional service and value to our stakeholders.

Food Safety Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Manager

Location: Remote – with regular on-site presence (3 days per week) across Kepak Meat Division UK sites – Kepak Merthyr (Wales), Bodmin (England), and McIntosh Donald (Scotland).

In this exciting newly established position, you will report to the Food Safety & Quality Director and serve as the go-to expert on all aspects of Regulatory and Food Safety Compliance. Your main responsibility will be to establish and uphold the highest standards of food safety and compliance within our retail and primary meat operations.

As the key point of contact with regulatory bodies, you will ensure that all products and processes align with changing legislation, meet retailer expectations, and comply with internal policies. With a strong emphasis on audit readiness, governance, and continuous improvement, you will be instrumental in safeguarding our brand integrity while driving operational excellence.

Responsibilities:

Health, Safety, and Wellbeing

• Take an active role in fostering a positive safety culture by identifying and reporting potential hazards, ensuring that safe working practices are upheld at all times.

Regulatory Leadership

• Guide and oversee all regulatory compliance efforts to guarantee adherence to food safety laws, industry benchmarks, and customer requirements.
• Establish and maintain the Kepak Meat Division UK technical compliance standards that dictate site protocols, ensuring consistency with BRC, retailer/customer codes of practice, food safety laws, industry regulations, and our own quality systems.
• Analyse and apply updates in food legislation and customer standards, revising internal processes and documentation as needed.

Compliance Framework

• Craft, uphold, and enhance the company’s compliance framework, policies, and procedures, ensuring they resonate with current legislation and customer expectations.
• Continuously refine and strengthen a comprehensive compliance management system that aligns with all pertinent food safety laws, industry regulations, and customer standards.
• Proactively share and execute updates regarding legislative and customer standard changes across all relevant departments and documentation.

Risk & Incident Management

• Oversee and address compliance-related incidents, conducting thorough root cause analyses and executing corrective measures.
• Proactively identify and evaluate compliance risks, driving corrective and preventative strategies that safeguard product integrity and uphold brand reputation.

Audit & Inspection Readiness

• Carry out internal audits to gear up for third-party, customer, and regulatory evaluations, ensuring our organization is always audit-ready for positive results during inspections.
• Assist and equip site teams for third-party audits and regulatory evaluations.

Continuous Improvement

• Elevate compliance frameworks, track evolving trends, and boost audit effectiveness and regulatory preparedness by implementing root cause analysis and industry best practices.
• Monitor emerging regulatory trends and provide strategic guidance to the business on associated risks, opportunities, and essential adjustments.

Crossfunctional Collaboration

• Collaborate with our food safety, quality, health & safety, production, engineering, and commercial teams to seamlessly integrate compliance across the entire organization.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the main liaison with regulatory authorities on all aspects of regulatory compliance.
• Deliver regulatory insights and training to internal teams, nurture relationships with regulatory bodies, and foster a robust culture of compliance.

Requirements

• Degree in Food Science or related field with knowledge of food safety and quality assurance
• Strong understanding of food safety regulations (HACCP, TACCP, BRCGS) and UK/EU frameworks
• HACCP Level 4 and Lead Auditor certifications preferred
• Familiarity with animal welfare standards and ethical practices
• Full, clean UK driver’s license required
• Experience in audits and collaboration with clients
• Background in regulatory affairs and quality management in food manufacturing
• Proven track record in food safety compliance and managing audits
• Experience with retailer-driven standards and regulatory changes

Benefits

• Company Pension
• Death in Service Benefit
• Employee Discount Platform – All Kepak employees are entitled to access to the WrkIt platform, which offers significant discounts and cashback with hundreds of brands.
• Refer a Friend Scheme – Get up to £500 for successfully referring a friend or family member to Kepak Group.
• Bike to Work Scheme – You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!
• Subsidised Canteen – Our on site canteen is serving multiple hot food options during the day
• Free Car Parking – Our Kepak site has a dedicated staff car parking facility which is free to use for all of our colleagues.
• Long Service Awards – We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees
• GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program – Providing emotional, practical and financial support for all Kepak colleagues.

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