Automation Programme Manager - Manufacturing

Greencore; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading convenience food company in the East Midlands is seeking an experienced Automation Programme Manager to drive efficiency in manufacturing through automation projects. With over 3 years of expertise in end-of-line packing and palletising, you will collaborate with internal teams and external partners. The ideal candidate will have a degree in a relevant field and strong commercial acumen. This role offers competitive benefits, including a pension scheme and a supportive work environment for career development.

Benefits

Competitive salary and job-related benefits

Pension up to 8% matched

Life insurance up to 4x salary

Company share save scheme

Exclusive employee discount platform

Access to Wellbeing Centre platform

Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies

On the job training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• 3+ years' experience in automation, specifically in end-of-line packing and palletising.
• Deep understanding of engineering design, manufacturing techniques, and turnkey equipment suppliers.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety compliance for new equipment.

Responsibilities

• Drive automation projects to enhance efficiency and reduce labour dependency.
• Develop User Requirement Specifications and Capital Request documentation.
• Scope and design end-of-line automation solutions.

Skills

End-of-line packing and palletising

Engineering design

Commercial acumen

Collaboration

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent

Tools

CAD software

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Project

Job description

Automation Programme Manager - Manufacturing Greencore•Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

Why Greencore?

We're one of the UK's leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose : to make everyday taste better.

As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we're proud to employ over 13,300 talented colleagues across 16 manufacturing sites and 17 distribution depots throughout the UK. Together, we bring delicious food to life, from sandwiches, and sushi to cooking sauces, pickles, and ready meals. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve revenues of £1.95bn.

Our extensive direct-to-store (DTS) network, with 17 depots nationwide, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring our customers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop.

At Greencore we actively encourage our colleagues to apply for our vacancies, whether as a lateral move to broaden experience or the next step up to progress your career and development. We also welcome applications from external candidates who are eager to grow their career with us.

What You'll Be Doing

You'll be the driving force behind identifying, designing, and delivering automation projects that enhance efficiency, reduce labour dependency, and meet strict ROI criteria. Working closely with internal teams and external experts, you'll shape the future of our operations through smart, scalable automation.

Develop comprehensive User Requirement Specifications (URS) and Capital Request documentation.

Scope and design optimal end-of-line automation solutions with internal stakeholders and external specialists.

Maintain a network of key automation and equipment suppliers.

Create bespoke automation solutions in collaboration with strategic partners.

Ensure all designs align with Group standards and automation strategy.

Support project handovers to the Capital Projects Team and future deployments.

Maintain a pipeline of automation initiatives to drive continuous improvement.

Assist in mapping the factory of the future.

Collaborate with Procurement and Opex teams to identify benefits and secure funding.

Provide regular updates through supplier visit reports, trade show insights, and monthly reviews.

Success Measures

Delivery of high-impact automation projects with measurable ROI.

Strong engagement with site SLTs and cross-functional teams.

Effective supplier relationships and solution implementation.

Continuous improvement and innovation across multiple sites.

What We're Looking For

At Greencore we put our people at the core. We celebrate their differences and help everyone to be themselves at work. Together we make every day taste better.

Degree-level education or equivalent in a relevant field.

3+ years' experience in automation, specifically in end-of-line packing and palletising.

Deep understanding of engineering design, manufacturing techniques, and turnkey equipment suppliers.

Strong commercial acumen and ability to assess cost-effectiveness.

Knowledge of Health & Safety compliance for new equipment.

Experience influencing senior leadership and driving change.

CAD software proficiency (preferred).

Skilled in Microsoft Office and Project tools.

Ability to work collaboratively across all levels of the factory environment. If this sounds like you, join us and grow with Greencore, and be a part of driving our future success.

What you'll get in return

• Competitive salary and job-related benefits
• Holidays
• Pension up to 8% matched
• Life insurance up to 4x salary
• Company share save scheme
• Greencore Qualifications
• Exclusive Greencore employee discount platform
• Access to a full Wellbeing Centre platform
• Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies
• Bonus Throughout your time at Greencore, you will be supported with on the job training and development opportunities to further your career.

If you're passionate about automation and want to make a tangible impact, we'd love to hear from you.