Technical Manager - EMENA Franchise

About the Role and Company

Costa Coffee, a global leader in coffee experiences across more than 50 countries and a proud member of the Coca-Cola family, is seeking a Technical Manager for the EMENA Franchise based in Dubai, UAE. This role is pivotal in managing technical governance and evaluating performance throughout the end-to-end supply chain within the MENA region. The focus will be on ensuring suppliers and partners adhere to Costa's Quality Management System, the Global Partner Technical Policy, and comply with relevant legal standards, with an emphasis on fostering continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical assessments, reviews, and compliance audits in collaboration with franchise partners utilizing Quality Management System metrics, technical reports, and trend analyses to drive corrective initiatives and resolve escalations.
• Oversee technical, food safety, and quality issues by conducting investigations, root cause analyses, and developing corrective actions to maintain consumer safety and the Costa brand’s high standards.
• Forge and maintain robust partnerships with departments such as Operations, Food & Beverage, Brand Excellence, and Retail Operations to embed technical standards and promote operational excellence.
• Support technical product commercialization ensuring all offerings consistently meet the required quality and specification thresholds.
• Deliver technical training and coaching to franchise partners to ensure adherence to Costa’s Quality Management System, policies, and all legal requirements.
• Offer regional technical insights to support governance, sustainability projects, technical concessions, and contribute to the evolution of global technical strategy within the EMENA region.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Degree or HND in Food Science, Science, or a closely related field is essential.
• Comprehensive expertise in food safety protocols, hygiene standards, allergen control, HACCP, and relevant food legislation.
• Proven experience managing supplier quality, product quality, and technical commercialization workflows.
• Certification as an ISO Lead Auditor and familiarity with standards such as ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, BRC, or IFS.
• Competence in root cause analysis, continuous improvement techniques including Lean methodologies, and problem-solving frameworks.
• Experience working across international markets, with readiness for travel to establish and sustain global supplier and partner relationships.

Perks and Benefits

• Participation in Costa's Share Investment Plan (SIP) to own part of the company's success.
• Eligibility for an annual discretionary bonus scheme.
• Access to a smart pension plan with employer contributions up to 10%.
• Costa Financial Support Fund availability.
• Discounts of 50% at Costa-owned outlets and 25% at participating locations.
• Private medical insurance coverage.

Company Culture

Costa Coffee fosters an inclusive workplace culture where each individual’s unique qualities are valued. The organization’s core values include Discipline to Deliver, Passion for Progress, Winning with Warmth, Courage to Challenge, and Trust as Team Players.