Engineering Manager

The Compleat Food Group; Billingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car Allowance

Bonus

33 days' annual leave

Salary Sacrifice Schemes

EV charging points

Job summary

The Compleat Food Group is seeking an inspirational Engineering Manager for our Middlesbrough site to drive engineering excellence, asset reliability and operational performance. You will lead a team of engineers, shape maintenance strategy and deliver capital projects with strong governance.

You'll have significant FMCG/manufacturing leadership experience, a track record in improving plant uptime and a hands-on, collaborative leadership style.

Qualifications

• Significant engineering leadership within FMCG/food manufacturing or high-volume production.
• Proven track record in improving equipment reliability and operational performance.
• Experience managing budgets, contractors and supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a team of engineers and engineering leaders.
• Drive equipment reliability and site asset performance, and lead maintenance programmes.
• Ensure safety, compliance, and governance across the engineering function.
• Deliver capital projects from proposals through implementation with lifecycle costing.
• Manage site engineering budget, contractor costs and supplier performance.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Problem-solving

Stakeholder management

Data-driven maintenance

Continuous improvement

People development

Education

Degree in Mechanical/Electrical Eng

Tools

CMMS

Job description

We're looking for an experienced Engineering Manager to join our Middlesbrough site and play a pivotal role in driving engineering excellence, asset reliability, and operational performance. This is a fantastic opportunity for a strong engineering leader to join a growing business where you can make a genuine impact, lead a talented team, and help shape the future of engineering performance across the site.

Key Responsibilities Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach and develop a team of engineers and engineering leaders.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
• Conduct performance reviews, succession planning and skills development activities.
• Ensure engineering resource plans effectively support operational requirements.

Asset Reliability & Performance

• Drive equipment reliability and site asset performance.
• Lead preventative maintenance programmes, ensuring planned maintenance targets are achieved.
• Manage reactive maintenance activities and implement robust root cause analysis processes.
• Use engineering and production data to identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve OEE, reduce waste and increase asset availability.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Champion a safety-first culture across the engineering team.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory engineering requirements and company standards.
• Oversee permit-to-work systems, contractor management and safe systems of work.
• Lead investigations into engineering-related incidents and implement preventative actions.
• Maintain full audit readiness and compliance with food safety, environmental and health & safety standards.

Financial & Project Management

• Manage the site engineering budget and departmental expenditure.
• Control contractor costs, supplier performance and engineering inventory.
• Support and deliver capital investment projects from proposal through to implementation.
• Apply lifecycle costing principles to engineering decision-making.
• Deliver engineering improvements that contribute to site profitability and operational efficiency.

Engineering Governance

• Ensure effective use of CMMS and maintenance systems.
• Maintain engineering documentation, SOPs, risk assessments and statutory records.
• Lead engineering reviews and ensure effective communication across shifts and departments.
• Support internal and external audits and drive timely closure of actions.

We're seeking an inspirational engineering leader with a proven track record within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Essential Experience

• Significant engineering leadership experience within FMCG, food manufacturing or a similar high-volume production environment.
• Proven success in improving equipment reliability and operational performance.
• Strong experience managing planned and reactive maintenance programmes.
• Experience managing engineering budgets, contractors and supplier relationships.
• Track record of leading high-performing engineering teams.
• Experience using CMMS systems and data-driven maintenance strategies.
• Exposure to capital project delivery and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• HNC, HND or Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Engineering-related discipline.
• IOSH Managing Safely or NEBOSH qualification desirable.
• Project management qualifications or experience would be advantageous.

Key Skills

• Excellent leadership and coaching capability.
• Strong technical and problem-solving skills.
• Experienced in root cause analysis and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Commercial awareness and sound financial management skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Organised, structured and disciplined approach to engineering governance.

Personal Attributes

• Visible, engaging and credible leader.
• Passionate about developing people and building capability.
• Hands-on and proactive approach.
• Results-focused with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Able to influence and collaborate at all levels.
• Committed to delivering engineering excellence and operational success.

£70,000 - £77,000 + Car Allowance + Bonus + Benefits

At The Compleat Food Group, we're creating great quality food that people love. Behind every successful site is a high-performing engineering function that keeps our operations safe, reliable and efficient.

This is a chance to step into a commercially significant role in a business with incredible momentum. You'll be joining a PE-backed group with scale, ambition and pace, where strong commercial talent can make a visible impact. With a diverse multi-site manufacturing footprint, leading chilled food capabilities and a major strategic partnership with Tesco, this is an opportunity to influence growth at the highest level. You'll be part of a collaborative, passionate and commercially driven team that values pace, ownership and fresh thinking. At The Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your lifestyle, wellbeing, and career growth:

Financial & Lifestyle Benefits

• Competitive Car Allowance
• Company Bonus Scheme recognising performance and contribution
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes - including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work, and SMART Pension
• 33 days' annual leave (including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra
• Holiday Discounts Available via our online retail discount platform
• Access to enhanced retail discounts online and in-store
• Free product handouts across our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand
• EV charging points - available at selected sites

Health & Wellbeing

• 24/7 access to GroceryAid for free financial, emotional, and practical support
• Physical Wellbeing Hub - free on-demand exercise programmes, online classes and multiple gym discounts
• Free diet & nutrition advice with access to thousands of meal plans and healthy recipes
• Online wellbeing support - from mindfulness to lifestyle resources
• Financial wellbeing tools - including mortgage calculators, budgeting tools, and financial aid

Career Growth & Development

• Access to a personalised online learning platform (LMS)
• Formal and informal training opportunities tailored to your role
• Performance Development Plans and regular Career Conversations
• Industry leading company Mentoring Scheme to add depth and really support your career journey
• Recognition through Club Compleat rewards portal

Community & Culture

• 2 paid volunteering days per year to give back to causes that matter to you
• Charity initiatives and fundraising events
• Team socials to connect and celebrate together
• Employee networks & support groups - including Women @ Compleat
• New baby gift for new parents

What You Should Know About How We Recruit

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe great teams are built on difference. We create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and are able to be themselves at work. We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, just let us know, we'll support you - confidentially and with care. We hire the best people for our roles, not the same people. Whoever you are, wherever you're from, we focus on what you do and the impact you could make in our business. Our recruitment process is fair, accessible, and designed to give everyone an equal chance. You'll also find benefits that support people at every life stage, plus active internal networks - including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodiversity Recruitment Agencies.