Head of Technical (Laundry)

Company Description Tallow + Ash is a modern laundry care brand created to transform an everyday chore into a more enjoyable, sensory experience. The company focuses on elevating laundry through thoughtful fragrance, appealing design, and ingredients that avoid harsh, unnecessary chemicals. By rethinking traditional products, Tallow + Ash aims to make staying on top of laundry feel positive and motivating, rather than boring or dreaded. The team is passionate about innovation in home care and about building products that people genuinely look forward to using.
Role Description The Head of Technical (Laundry) is a full-time, hybrid role based in Cheltenham, with flexibility for some work from home. This role oversees all technical aspects of laundry product development, including formulation, testing, quality assurance, and compliance with relevant standards and regulations. Day-to-day responsibilities include leading the technical roadmap, managing laboratory and pilot-scale trials, evaluating raw materials and suppliers, and ensuring consistent product performance and safety. The Head of Technical (Laundry) collaborates closely with founders, operations, and brand teams to translate customer insights into technically sound product improvements and new launches. The role also involves documenting technical specifications, resolving production issues, and continuously optimizing processes for efficiency and sustainability.
Qualifications

• Strong expertise in detergent, fabric care, or broader household/consumer products formulation, including surfactants, fragrances, and fabric care technologies.
• Demonstrated experience with product testing methods, quality control procedures, and stability and performance testing for laundry products.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements, safety standards, and compliance processes relevant to home and fabric care products in the UK and EU.
• Ability to manage technical projects end-to-end, including planning experiments, analyzing data, and presenting clear recommendations to non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience working with manufacturers and suppliers, including evaluating technical documentation and supporting scale-up from lab to production.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a small, fast-moving team environment.
• Track record of problem-solving and continuous improvement in a technical or R&D setting, ideally within FMCG or consumer goods.
• Relevant scientific or engineering degree (e.g., Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field), or equivalent practical experience.
• Comfort with hybrid working, including presence on site in Cheltenham for lab, production, and team collaboration activities.
• Passion for product innovation, sustainability, and creating better everyday experiences for customers.