Job Description:

Stock & Quality Controller
£29,120 – £30,160
Worcestershire

Talent Guardian is recruiting on behalf of a growing consolidator and distributor of fine food, drink and fresh produce, supplying the independent retail and foodservice sectors.

Everything they supply is consolidated and distributed from a purpose-built Distribution Centre in Redditch, ensuring it meets their strict quality standards. Due to continued growth, they're looking for a Stock & Quality Controller to join the Supply Chain team.

The role You'll manage the end-to-end inventory process — making sure physical stock matches system records, maintaining food safety compliance, and managing strict date-code rotation to prevent spoilage and waste. It's a role that balances operational pace with genuinely rigorous quality control.

Inventory accuracy & auditing

• Conduct regular cycle counts and full stock takes, verifying physical inventory against WMS and technical software
• Investigate stock variances, misallocations and missing items, tracking movement history to root cause
• Compile daily and weekly reports on stock integrity, wastage and inventory performance

Quality control & compliance

• Monitor best before and use by dates to ensure correct rotation (FEFO) and minimise food waste
• Maintain accurate batch and stock control to support rapid recalls and quality audits
• Handle and log damaged, expired or returned goods, managing safe disposal or quarantine
• Complete daily, weekly and monthly QC checks, plus monthly GMP audits and non-compliance reporting
• Carry out daily production pre-release quality and label accuracy checks

Goods-in & fulfilment

• Manage the goods-in process, checking incoming shipments for temperature, damage and quantity against purchase orders
• Check received products against specifications to ensure supplier compliance, reporting non-conformance
• Assign correct storage locations (ambient, chilled, frozen) and oversee labelling and storage conditions
• Adopt and lead 'Scan to Receive' technology
• Ensure pick faces and forward staging areas are stocked to support planning and dispatch

You'll report to the Supply Chain Manager and work closely with Procurement, Commercial and Operations.

What you'll need

• Experience in a similar role within a DC or warehouse environment, with QC/QA food or fresh produce experience — this is essential
• You must live within a 20-mile radius of Redditch, Worcestershire
• Over 18 with your own transport
• Physical fitness to work at pace, with manual handling and use of pallet trucks (manual & PPT)
• Computer literacy for stock management data maintenance
• High standards of personal and food hygiene, and a 'clean as you go' approach
• Strong attention to detail, able to work in a team and on your own initiative
• A current FLT licence would be advantageous

Hours & benefits

• Full time, 5 days per week (Monday–Friday), no weekend working as standard
• Day shift covering operating times of 06:30–16:30 (30-minute unpaid break)
• £14.00–£14.50 per hour, depending on experience, plus paid overtime (approved by line manager)
• 28 days holiday (including 8 bank holidays), with incremental loyalty holiday added annually
• Employee benefits scheme and pension scheme
• Free on-site secure parking
• Full training provided, including product knowledge and company procedures

About the business A values-led business built on teamwork, quality, honesty and passion committed to delivering high-quality fresh produce, fine food and drink with trusted provenance, fairness through the supply chain, and an honest, sustainable and ethical way of doing business.