Interim Technical Lead - Maternity cover

Summary

Interim Leader for technical excellence, food safety and continuous improvement across a high-performing manufacturing site.

Company Pension Scheme, Discounted or Free Food.

We are looking for an experienced Interim Technical Lead to join our food manufacturing site and provide leadership across the Technical function, ensuring the highest standards of food safety, quality and compliance are maintained.

The purpose of the role is to lead the Technical Team and support the Operational Team at site level, developing and delivering effective processes and practices to ensure products are manufactured safely, legally and in line with customer requirements.

Reporting to the Head of Technical, the role will work closely with Production, Engineering and wider site teams, providing technical expertise, challenge and support to drive continuous improvement and maintain excellent standards across the site.

The successful candidate will act as the technical conscience of the site, ensuring that everything produced meets agreed customer specifications and regulatory requirements, while identifying opportunities to improve processes, standards and ways of working.

This is a 12 month fixed term contract, based onsite 5 days a week in our Scunthorpe production site.

• Lead and support the Technical Team, ensuring effective delivery of Technical, Quality Assurance, Quality Systems and Specifications activities.
• Work closely with the Head of Operations and wider site leadership team to ensure food safety, quality and customer standards are consistently achieved.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant Health & Safety, food safety, company policies, procedures and standards.
• Maintain strong working relationships across site, encouraging effective communication, collaboration and problem solving.
• Provide technical guidance and challenge to support operational teams in delivering right-first-time quality.
• Coordinate and oversee Technical activities through effective task management, prioritisation and regular progress updates.
• Support the implementation of new initiatives, driving a best practice approach and continuous improvement culture.
• Build positive relationships with customers, suppliers and external agencies where required.
• Identify opportunities to improve technical performance, reduce customer quality issues and enhance site standards.
• Support delivery of the Technical strategy, ensuring improvements are achieved within agreed timescales and budgets.
• Provide coaching, support and development to colleagues to strengthen technical capability across the site.

We are looking for an experienced Technical professional with a strong background in food manufacturing and site-based technical leadership.

• Proven experience managing Technical functions within a food manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of technical systems, food safety standards, quality assurance and customer requirements.
• Experience working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering and wider manufacturing teams.
• A successful track record of leading and developing teams.
• Experience managing change and delivering continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.
• Experience supporting projects, including capital projects and business improvement programmes.

Sofina Foods is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences – regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.