Advanced Team Lead - Automation Nights

Finsbury Food Group; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave

Enhanced Pension Scheme

Death in Service Benefit

Free Employee Assistance Programme

Retail discounts via Benefits Hub

Refer a Friend Scheme

Employee Recognition Awards

Learning & Development opportunities

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Nicholas & Harris, Salisbury site, part of Finsbury Food Group, is seeking an Automation Advanced Team Leader to drive automation and asset performance on a 4-on/4-off, 6pm–6am shift. This role leads front-line teams in a highly automated baking environment, delivering reliability, asset care and continuous improvement.

You will collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering and Operations, coaching colleagues and steering future automation initiatives while upholding Health & Safety and Food

Qualifications

• Experience within an automated manufacturing, FMCG or engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of automation, equipment performance and asset reliability.
• Experience supporting, coaching, or leading front-line teams.
• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving capability.
• Knowledge of autonomous maintenance and asset care principles.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and performance optimisation.
• Understanding of Health & Safety and Food Safety requirements within manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day automation and asset performance operation on shift, ensuring equipment reliability, operational stability, and the highest standards of asset care.
• Coordinate automation activities with operational teams and support fault finding to maximise uptime.
• Provide coaching and support to colleagues, building capability across the wider team.
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, reduce downtime and enhance equipment performance.
• Use asset data, root cause analysis and continuous improvement principles to drive performance improvements.
• Support implementation, commissioning and embedding of new automated equipment and systems.
• Champion Health & Safety, machine safety, Food Safety, and compliance standards on the shift.

Skills

Automation

Asset reliability

Leadership

Fault finding

Maintenance

Continuous improvement

Health & Safety

Food Safety

Communication

CI (Lean/KAIZEN)

Education

Engineering qualifications or technical certifications

Job description

Nicholas & Harris, Salisbury, SP2 7PU

4 on, 4 off - 6pm until 6am

Competitive with Opportunities for Growth

Location: Nicholas & Harris, Salisbury, SP2 7PU Shift: 4 on, 4 off - 6pm until 6am Salary: Competitive with Opportunities for Growth

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Operations team as an 'Automation Advanced Team Leader' (ATL) at our Nicholas & Harris site in Salisbury, part of Finsbury Food Group.

Nicholas & Harris has over 180 years of heritage in craft baking methods and is entering one of the most exciting periods of investment and growth in its history. As we continue to enhance our manufacturing capability through automation, technology, and operational excellence, we are looking for a technically strong and forward-thinking leader to help shape the future of our operation.

This is a unique opportunity to play a key role within a highly automated manufacturing environment, combining technical expertise with front-line leadership. Working closely with Manufacturing, Engineering and Operational teams, you will be responsible for driving equipment performance, improving reliability, developing technical capability, and supporting the successful integration of future automation technologies.

More than simply maintaining equipment performance, this role is about creating a culture of asset ownership, operational excellence, and continuous improvement, helping ensure our manufacturing operation is equipped for the future.

This is what you'll actually do!

As an 'Automation ATL', you'll lead the day-to-day automation and asset performance operation on shift, ensuring equipment reliability, operational stability, and the highest standards of asset care.

You’ll work closely with operational teams to coordinate automation activities, support fault finding, drive autonomous maintenance standards and maximise equipment uptime. Acting as the technical lead on shift, you’ll provide coaching and support to colleagues, helping build capability and confidence across the wider team.

You’ll play a key role in identifying opportunities to improve reliability, reduce downtime and enhance overall equipment performance. Through effective use of asset data, root cause analysis and continuous improvement principles, you’ll help drive sustainable performance improvements across the bakery.

As we continue to invest in new technology and manufacturing capability, you’ll also support the implementation, commissioning and embedding of new automated equipment and systems, ensuring operational teams are prepared to maximise the benefits of future developments.

Alongside technical leadership, you’ll champion Health & Safety, machine safety, Food Safety, and compliance standards, ensuring equipment is operated safely and effectively at all times.

Ideally this is you!

• Experience within an automated manufacturing, FMCG or engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of automation, equipment performance and asset reliability.
• Experience supporting, coaching, or leading front-line teams.
• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving capability.
• Knowledge of autonomous maintenance and asset care principles.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and performance optimisation.
• Understanding of Health & Safety and Food Safety requirements within manufacturing.

The Following Would Be Advantageous, But Are Not Essential

• Engineering qualifications or technical certifications
• CMMS experience
• Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement knowledge
• IOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification

What's in it for you!

• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave to allow quality time with your new arrival!
• Enhanced Pension Scheme for our employees
• Death in Service Benefit
• Free Employee Assistance Programme (open to colleagues and their families)
• Retail discounts accessible via our Benefits Hub platform!
• Refer a Friend Scheme (up to £300 per referral - T&C's dependant)
• Employee Recognition Awards
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities
• Career progression opportunities across Nicholas & Harris and the wider Finsbury Food Group

Our vision is to be the leading speciality bakery group in the UK, and we want the very best people to help us achieve this. This is an opportunity to join a business investing heavily in its future, where you can influence how automation capability develops, make a genuine impact on operational performance, and build a long-term career within a growing organisation.

If you're passionate about technology, automation and developing high-performing teams, we'd love to hear from you.