Head of Engineering - Regional - Project

Head of Engineering – Regional 12‑month Project Role

Crewe – Full time – Permanent – Regional Hybrid – Travel across assigned UK Sites.

Head of Engineering (Deli) – Chilled Food Manufacturing

Competitive Senior Level Salary and Benefits

12 Month Project Role

Are you a visionary engineering leader ready to shape the future of the UK's fastest growing chilled food manufacturing companies across your assigned multiple UK sites?

The Compleat Food Group seeks a dynamic Head of Engineering – (Deli) to spearhead strategic development, governance, and operational delivery of our Asset Care function — driving performance, compliance, and capability growth that fuels a business with BIG ambition across a fixed project of 12 months.

This is more than a leadership role. It’s a chance to champion food and people safety, embed a culture of continuous improvement and deliver capital investments that make a measurable impact.

• Engineering Strategy & Governance
  :
  Embed our Group Asset Care Performance Model across your assigned sites, raise standards and ensure consistency.
• Capital Investment Leadership
  :
  Shape and deliver the regional capital agenda with a sharp eye on ROI and strategic alignment.
• Performance & Compliance
  :
  Ensure engineering excellence supports food safety, SHE, reliability, sustainability and operational efficiency.
• People Development
  :
  Build a high‑performing engineering culture through structured development, succession planning and capability uplift.

• Food Safety & Quality
  • Set and uphold hygienic design standards across all sites.
  • Lead audit readiness and embed GMP‑aligned engineering practices.
  • Govern engineering inputs into capital projects to ensure product protection.
• Health, Safety & Environment
  • Champion a safety‑first culture and ensure full regulatory compliance.
  • Drive sustainability through energy efficiency and waste reduction initiatives.
• Asset Performance
  • Standardise CMMS usage and preventative maintenance programmes.
  • Lead reactive maintenance excellence and root‑cause elimination.
  • Foster cross‑site collaboration to reduce downtime and enhance reliability.
  • Own engineering budgets and capital expenditure planning.
  • Optimise contractor spend and apply life‑cycle cost thinking to all decisions.
  • Align engineering resources to strategic and operational needs.
  • Drive performance reviews, onboarding and technical development.
  • Cultivate a culture of recognition, accountability and high performance.
• Governance & Control
  • Benchmark engineering governance and challenge deviations.
  • Oversee capital governance, documentation standards and audit compliance.

• Qualifications
  • Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or related Engineering discipline.
  • Chartered Engineer status (or working towards it) preferred.
  • NEBOSH/IOSH and project management certification (PRINCE2/APM) a plus.
• Experience
  • Proven leadership in multi‑site food manufacturing or similar industrial environments.
  • Track record of engineering performance improvement and capital project delivery.
  • Expertise in CMMS, asset care frameworks and regulatory compliance.
  • Passion for developing engineering talent and building future leaders.
• Skills
  • Strategic thinker with commercial acumen and financial fluency.
  • Inspirational leader with strong communication and stakeholder influence.
  • Analytical problem‑solver with a relentless drive for improvement.
  • Methodical, organised, works with autonomy and governance‑focused.

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success.

• Company Bonus Scheme recognising performance and contribution.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work and SMART Pension.
• 33 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra.
• Access to enhanced retail discounts online and in‑store.
• Free product handouts across our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand.
• EV charging points available at selected sites.
• 24/7 access to Grocery Aid for free financial, emotional and practical support.
• Physical Wellbeing Hub – free on‑demand exercise programmes, online classes and multiple gym discounts.
• Free diet &…