Technical Manager

Protea Recruitment is working with an established food manufacturing business in Northern Ireland to appoint an experienced Technical Manager.

This is a senior leadership position offering full responsibility for the company's technical, quality and food safety functions.

The successful candidate will be the most senior technical professional within the business, playing a key role in maintaining standards, developing the technical team and supporting the company's continued growth.

The business operates within chilled food manufacturing, producing a range of products for major retail and food service customers across the UK and Ireland.

• Lead, manage and develop the Technical and Quality teams, with responsibility for approximately eight team members.
• Take overall responsibility for food safety, quality, legality and regulatory compliance across manufacturing operations.
• Maintain and continually improve the Food Safety Management System (FSMS), Quality Management System (QMS) and HACCP procedures.
• Lead BRCGS certification audits, customer audits and regulatory inspections, ensuring continued compliance with relevant standards.
• Manage technical relationships with major retail and food service customers.
• Oversee microbiological controls, environmental monitoring, allergen management and Listeria prevention programmes.
• Ensure effective management of customer complaints, non-conformances, root cause investigations and corrective actions.
• Maintain robust traceability, product specifications, labelling and supplier approval procedures.
• Work closely with Production, Operations and NPD to ensure new and existing products meet food safety, quality and customer requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the senior management team.
• Identify opportunities to improve technical systems, processes and operational performance.
• Develop a proactive food safety culture throughout the business.

• Significant experience within Technical or Quality Management in food manufacturing.
• Strong working knowledge of BRCGS, HACCP, food safety legislation and retailer technical standards.
• Proven experience leading technical teams and managing food safety management systems.
• Experience managing external audits, customer relationships and regulatory compliance.
• Strong understanding of microbiological food safety risks, particularly within chilled manufacturing environments.
• Ability to operate independently as the senior technical authority within a manufacturing business.
• Excellent communication, leadership and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with in chilled foods, ready meals or food-to-go manufacturing.
• Previous responsibility for a multi-site technical function.
• Experience managing Listeria control and environmental monitoring programmes.
• Experience working with major UK and Irish retailers.
• Food Science, Food Technology or a related qualification.

• Full ownership of the technical function.
• Opportunity to lead and develop an established technical team.
• Direct involvement in key business decisions and technical strategy.
• Opportunity to make a measurable impact on food safety, quality and operational performance.