Engineering Section Manager

BAKKAVOR GROUP PLC; Runcorn; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food processing company in Runcorn is seeking a Maintenance Section Manager to manage a skilled team in maintaining and optimizing processing and packaging assets. Responsibilities include managing maintenance tasks, improving efficiency, and conducting technical reviews. The ideal candidate will have an engineering background, strong leadership abilities, and relevant safety certifications. The role offers competitive benefits, including life assurance, private medical insurance, and an annual bonus scheme, fostering a rewarding environment to thrive professionally.

Benefits

Life Assurance (2.5 × salary)

Private medical insurance

Annual Bonus Scheme

23 days holiday

Stakeholder Pension Scheme

Discount & cashback platform

Qualifications

• Experience with mechanical and electrical systems is crucial.
• Strong leadership and teamworking skills are essential.
• Knowledge of safety, health, and environmental legislation.

Responsibilities

• Manage and conduct planned, predictive, and reactive maintenance.
• Identify and resolve technical faults in equipment.
• Drive continuous improvements in maintenance processes.

Skills

Leadership

Fault-finding

Teamwork

Contractor management

Project management

Education

Level 2 in Maths and English

Engineering apprenticeship (C/G/EAL NVQ Level 3/4)

Food Safety Level 2

IOSH Managing Safely

Tools

CMMS

Safety equipment

Job description

Maintenance Section Manager, where you'll lead a skilled engineering and operational team in maintaining and optimizing food and drink processing and packaging assets. You'll manage planned, predictive, and reactive maintenance, drive continuous improvement projects, and implement practical solutions to boost efficiency and performance. This role offers hands‑on leadership, technical challenge, and the opportunity to shape processes while developing your team's expertise.

Role Accountabilities

• Prepare for and manage food and drink maintenance work.
• Conduct planned, predictive, and reactive maintenance on processing and packaging assets.
• Identify and resolve electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, automation, and pneumatic faults.
• Lead teams during machinery changeovers and setups.
• Drive continuous improvement and participate in failure investigations to enhance efficiency.
• Conduct technical performance reviews with stakeholders.
• Maintain up‑to‑date engineering documentation.
• Support team development and technical competence.
• Ensure availability and efficiency of maintenance tools and equipment.
• Contribute to internal and external audits.
• Manage day‑to‑day HR activities for direct reports.

About You

You will need a Level 2 in Maths and English (or equivalent) and an engineering apprenticeship (C/G/EAL NVQ Level 3/4 or OAL FDEM Diploma). You should hold Food Safety Level 2 and IOSH Managing Safely and be familiar with the latest IET Wiring Regulations. You will have multi‑skilled expertise with an electrical bias, hands‑on experience with mechanical and electrical systems, strong fault‑finding skills, and confidence in planning maintenance, managing budgets, spare parts, and CMMS. Strong leadership, teamworking, and contractor management skills are essential, along with knowledge of safety, health, environmental legislation and risk management. Desirable experience includes FMCG, hygienic engineering, continuous improvement, reliability techniques, instrumentation configuration, and productivity methods such as OEE and Lean.

What You'll Receive

• Life Assurance (2.5 × salary)
• Private medical insurance
• Annual Bonus Scheme
• 23 days holiday
• Staff Shop
• Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• Discount & cashback platform
• Personal Accident Insurance
• Free health check
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Voluntary benefits (holiday purchase scheme, additional life assurance, dental & hospital cash plans)
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme
• Free independent mortgage advice
• Discounted tutoring for children
• Access to financial learning tools and affordable loans via your salary
• Free car parking – site dependent

As an equal opportunity employer, we’re committed to providing a safe and rewarding environment for you to thrive in. This is why we work hard to deliver benefits, rewards and wellbeing offerings that are important to you. We are proud to be Bakkavor, the market leader in the UK fresh prepared food industry, and delighted to offer a wide range of careers across our business – join our dedicated Bakkavor team!

We are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive, and we believe that diversity makes us stronger.