Regional Food Safety Manager (UK South)

THORPE PARK Resort, Staines Road
Chertsey, SURREY, KT16 8PN
United Kingdom

At Merlin Entertainments our passion is putting smiles on people's faces across all of our global attractions. 

Central to this is our absolute commitment to achieve the highest standards in Health, Safety and Security. We are dedicated to protecting everyone who visits our attractions and also the people who work for us around the world.

Health, Safety and Security is our number one priority and of course Food Safety is part of this. It's reflected in our corporate values and culture, together with the training our people receive and our day-to-day food safe working practices. We have a dedicated programme to sustain awareness, drive workforce engagement and uphold a positive and proactive safety culture. It's called 'Protecting the Magic' and it helps our management teams and employees to manage risks, prevent accidents and deliver truly memorable guest experiences. It means that everybody at Merlin plays a crucial role in safeguarding guests, colleagues and the animals within our care.

We require a Regional Food Safety Manager (UK South) to join the Health & Safety team based at our office in Thorpe Park, Surrey, with daily travel to our South based theme parks.

Reporting into the Group Food Safety Manager, you will work closely with the Food & Beverage and Management teams at Legoland Windsor (LLW), Thorpe Park Resort (TPR) and Chessington World of Adventures Resort (CWoAR) to ensure effective implementation of our Food Safety policies, procedures, standards and culture. The role will seek to ensure excellent food products and services are delivered safely and hygienically to our guests, staff and contractors every day.

The role will also include the provision of advice, direction and performance monitoring relating to the broader topic of health and safety risks in Merlin’s catering environments. The effective management of food safety risks is, to an extent, determined through the effective control of health and safety risks more generally in these areas. With both, our employees are at the heart of the necessary processes and safety arrangements.

Key Objectives include…

• To oversee and ensure compliance with food safety legislation at LLW, TPR and CWOAR.
• To ensure food safety practices across the three attractions are in line with Merlin food safety standards.
• To act as a centre of excellence on food safety standards for the attraction teams to learn from and facilitate the sharing of best practice and on-going learnings.
  
• To support, advise and coach the attraction Food & Beverage teams to achieve full and continuous compliance with Merlin requirements and external obligations.
• To proactively lead initiatives to improve and align HACCP standards, allergen management, supply chain integrity and food safety behaviours throughout these operations, in conjunction with the Group Food Safety Manager.
• To facilitate and support the attainment of all required safety and hygiene competency and skills levels for food handlers, chefs and associated management teams across the three sites.
• To oversee, assess and direct operations teams at the three attractions in the effective control of catering health and safety risks.
• To provide regular performance information to the Group Food Safety Manager to enable high levels of transparency.
• To review performance, conduct trend analysis of incidents / audits, and consider new interventions or initiatives that seek to reduce risks, relating to both food safety and health and safety in catering areas.
• Ensure that the attraction F+B teams are ready for any forthcoming audits, both internal and external
• To assist with implementation of recommendations and requirements following Local Authority inspections and visits, Group Food Safety audits and safety bulletins.
  

We are looking for the following skills and experience…

• You will hold a degree, or appropriate educational level, qualification in Environmental Health, food safety / food hygiene or similar. HACCP level 4 qualification (Advanced) and NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent) is required.
• You will have gained key experience in a Food Safety environment, ideally delivering food safety management and support across a wide range of projects and teams.
• You will be able to demonstrate an excellent understanding of HACCP, food safety knowledge and supporting food safety / hygiene standards and techniques and ensure that these are implemented and improved at site level.
• You will have a clear understanding of exemplary food preparation, handling and service in a consumer facing business. Also, knowledge of catering health and safety risks and associated controls.
• You will demonstrate a consistent, systematic approach to conducting audits and following through corrective actions.
• You will have the ability to carry out food safety and health and safety incident investigations, identifying correct root causes and preventative and corrective actions.
• You will be proficient MS Office and competent on IT systems.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills with the ability to motivate attraction teams.
• You will be required to travel to our attractions, therefore a driving license is essential.
  

This role is permanent, full time based upon working 40 hours per week, typically Monday-Friday however flexibility is required as there may be times when the post-holder will need to work weekends and outside or normal operating times in order to support the assigned attractions.

The 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 can quickly become even better (our magic can help here).  Benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, discretionary company bonus, 25 days’ holiday and, of course, a Merlin Magic Pass which gives you and your friends and family free admission to all of our attractions worldwide, as well as 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants and 40% discount on LEGO.