About Us
Seven Seeded is a craft-driven, high-quality artisanal bakery. We serve hundreds of chefs across London 7 days a week, and are committed to providing exceptional products, warm hospitality, and efficient operations. We are a growing team of passionate bakers, pastry chefs, and service professionals dedicated to excellence in every detail. From the quality of our bakes to the efficient management of our daily production schedules, we work hard to ensure an exceptional and warm customer experience.
Job Overview
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Food Safety Manager to take full ownership of food safety, technical compliance, and health and safety across our bakery operations. This is a senior operational role that sits at the heart of our quality and compliance function. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the bakery meets all legal, regulatory, and certification requirements, while driving a culture of food safety and continuous improvement throughout the business.
Key Responsibilities
Food Safety & SALSA Certification
- Hold overall responsibility for achieving and maintaining the bakery's SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) certification
- Develop, implement, and review all food safety management systems, policies, and procedures in line with SALSA requirements and legal requirements
- Act as the primary point of contact for SALSA auditors and certification bodies
- Ensure HACCP plans are current, accurate, and embedded throughout production
- Lead ongoing monitoring, verification, and validation of food safety controls
- Maintain all food safety documentation to audit-ready standard at all times
Supplier Approval & Authorisation
- Own and manage the end-to-end supplier approval process, including new supplier onboarding and periodic re-approval of existing suppliers
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date supplier documentation including questionnaires, third-party audit certificates, and approval records
- Liaise with suppliers to ensure ongoing compliance with the bakery's technical and food safety standards
- Escalate and manage supplier non-conformances through to resolution
Product Specifications & Quality Assurance
- Create, maintain, and control detailed product specifications for all bakery products
- Oversee the quality assurance process, including in-process checks, finished product review, and shelf-life management
- Manage the customer complaints process, investigating non-conformances and implementing corrective and preventive actions
- Support new product development from a technical and food safety perspective
Raw Materials Database
- Build and maintain a comprehensive raw materials database including allergen declarations, nutritional data, supplier details, and technical data sheets
- Ensure all raw material information is accurate and current to support product labelling, specification, and legal compliance
- Review raw material changes from suppliers and assess impact on finished products
Internal & External Audits
- Plan and lead the programme of internal audits, producing clear reports and tracking corrective actions through to close-out
- Manage all external audits including SALSA, customer visits, and any regulatory inspections, acting as lead contact throughout
- Ensure the business is continuously audit-ready across all technical and H&S functions
Product Tolerance Sheets
- Create and manage product tolerance sheets defining acceptable parameters for weight, dimensions, appearance, and other quality attributes
- Ensure tolerance sheets are clearly communicated to and understood by the production team
- Review and update tolerance sheets in line with product changes or customer requirements
Health & Safety — Overall Site Responsibility
- Hold full legal and operational responsibility for health and safety compliance across the entire bakery site
- Develop, maintain, and review a comprehensive suite of risk assessments covering all activities, equipment, substances, and personnel across the site
- Ensure the bakery meets all obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and all other relevant UK legislation
- Act as the designated competent person for health and safety as required by law
- Develop and implement a site-wide health and safety policy and supporting procedures
- Conduct regular site inspections and walkthroughs, identifying hazards and ensuring corrective actions are completed in a timely manner
- Manage incident and accident reporting, investigation, and root cause analysis, including RIDDOR reporting where applicable
- Liaise with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other enforcement authorities as required
- Ensure all plant, equipment, and machinery is subject to appropriate inspection, maintenance, and safe systems of work
- Lead the delivery of health and safety inductions and ongoing staff training across all departments
- Maintain and test emergency procedures including fire evacuation, first aid provision, and major incident response
- Monitor legislative updates and industry guidance, ensuring the business adapts accordingly
- Report on health and safety performance to senior management, including KPIs, incident trends, and audit outcomes
Skills & Experience Required
- Proven experience in a food manufacturing or bakery environment in a technical or food safety role
- Demonstrable knowledge of SALSA, BRC Global Standards, or equivalent food safety certification schemes
- Thorough understanding of UK food safety legislation including Food Safety Act 1990, Food Hygiene Regulations 2006, and allergen labelling requirements
- Strong working knowledge of health and safety law and best practice, including risk assessment methodology
- Level 3 or above Award in Food Safety in Catering / Manufacturing
- NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent) is highly desirable; NEBOSH Food Safety or CIEH qualification advantageous
- Experience conducting and managing internal and external audits
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage across all levels
- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills with high attention to detail
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel
Personal Attributes
- A proactive, solutions-focused individual who takes ownership and drives things forward
- Methodical and thorough, with a genuine commitment to safety and quality
- Confident in challenging non-compliance and influencing change
- Calm and effective under pressure in a fast-paced production environment
- A strong team player who can also work independently and manage their own workload
This job description is not exhaustive and may be amended in line with the needs of the business.
Pay: Up to £40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Watford WD18 8JA: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person
