Technical Manager

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a leading UK chilled food manufacturer supplying major retailers with high-quality, category-leading products. Operating within a complex, multi-customer manufacturing environment, the business continues to invest in food safety, quality standards, technical excellence and digital transformation. As Technical Manager, you will lead the site's technical function, ensuring compliance with retailer, regulatory and accreditation standards while driving continuous improvement across food safety, quality and operational performance.

• Lead the site's Technical and Quality Assurance function, managing QA Managers and Validation personnel.
• Take ownership of the site's Food Safety Management System and HACCP programme.
• Act as HACCP Team Leader, ensuring robust food safety controls are maintained and continuously improved.
• Drive compliance with retailer standards, customer requirements, BRCGS and relevant food legislation.
• Lead site preparation for customer, retailer and third-party audits.
• Act as the primary contact during customer and certification audits, ensuring successful outcomes and timely close-out of actions.
• Oversee internal audit programmes and ensure audits are completed in accordance with agreed schedules.
• Lead investigations into food safety incidents, microbiological issues and customer complaints, implementing effective corrective actions.
• Analyse complaint, micro and quality trends to identify continuous improvement opportunities.
• Work closely with Production, NPD and Process teams to ensure products consistently meet food safety, quality and customer requirements.
• Manage the site validation programme, ensuring all validation activities are completed on time.
• Develop and mentor technical and QA teams through objective setting, KPI management and performance development.
• Support site-wide continuous improvement initiatives and the transition towards paperless quality systems.

• Degree qualified (or equivalent) in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline.
• Proven experience within a Technical, Quality or Food Safety leadership role in food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, BRCGS, retailer standards and food legislation.
• Previous responsibility for audit management, customer audits and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading and developing Technical and QA teams.
• Background within chilled food manufacturing highly desirable.
• Ready Meals experience would be particularly advantageous.
• Strong understanding of food safety systems, quality management processes and root cause investigation techniques.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across all levels of the business.
• Comfortable working within a fast-paced, customer-facing manufacturing environment.

• Senior leadership position within a major food manufacturing business
• High-profile role with direct influence on site quality, compliance and technical strategy
• Opportunity to work with leading UK retail customers
• Ongoing investment in systems, process improvement and digitalisation
• Career progression opportunities within a growing multi-site organisation
• Company pension scheme
• Holiday entitlement
• Additional benefits available upon application

Technical Manager | Senior Technical Manager | Food Safety Manager | Quality Manager | Site Quality Manager | Head of Quality | Technical Services Manager | Compliance Manager | Food Safety & Quality Manager | Technical Compliance Manager | HACCP Manager | BRC Compliance Manager | QA Manager | Technical Lead | Quality Systems Manager | Manufacturing Technical Manager | Site Technical Lead | Technical Operations Manager | Head of Technical (smaller site) | Assistant Head of Technical