Engineering Team Leader

2 Sisters Food Group; Ditchingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary up to £61,000

Benefits package

Overtime opportunities

Training and qualifications support

Health Assured EAP

GroceryAid support

Cycle2Work scheme

Job summary

2 Sisters Food Group is seeking an Engineering Team Leader for night shift to lead the on-site engineering function in a fast-paced poultry processing environment. You will be hands-on and step into leadership, guiding a multi-skilled engineering team while ensuring safe, reliable operation.

The role requires time-served engineers with mechanical and electrical capability and supervisory experience. Night shift is 12-hour, 4 on / 4 off, with a strong focus on safety and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Time-served, multi-skilled engineer with strong mechanical and electrical capability.
• Experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment; food/poultry manufacturing experience advantageous.
• Previous supervisory or senior engineering experience, ready to progress into leadership.
• Calm, practical and decisive under pressure when responding to breakdowns.
• Able to lead by example and set clear expectations to engineers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead as the senior engineering presence on shift, setting standards and direction.
• Perform hands-on mechanical and electrical fault-finding, repairs and maintenance.
• Coordinate the response to breakdowns to restore safe, reliable operation with minimal disruption.
• Ensure issues are reported, escalated and resolved; support the wider engineering team.
• Mentor engineers on shift and promote safe working practices and discipline.
• Contribute to root-cause analysis and continuous improvement to increase equipment reliability.
• Communicate shift performance, priorities and risks to Operations and senior stakeholders.
• Uphold food safety, housekeeping and best practice standards.

Skills

Mechanical capability

Electrical capability

Fault-finding

Leadership

Communication

Job description

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a hands-on Engineering Team Leader to support our poultry-processing operation on the night shift. This role would suit an experienced, time-served, multi-skilled engineer who is strong both mechanically and electrically, enjoys being on the tools and is ready to take the next step into leadership.

As the senior engineering presence on shift, you will lead day-to-day engineering activity, take ownership of decisions and set the standard for safe, disciplined engineering practice. You will ensure breakdowns, technical issues and operational risks are reported, escalated and resolved effectively, while supporting the wider engineering team and working closely with Operations.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Act as the lead engineer and senior engineering presence on shift, setting clear standards, priorities and direction.
• Carry out hands-on mechanical and electrical fault-finding, repairs and maintenance across site equipment and production machinery.
• Respond quickly to breakdowns, coordinate the engineering response and help restore safe, reliable operation with minimum disruption.
• Ensure breakdowns, technical issues, recurring faults and engineering risks are accurately reported, escalated and followed through to resolution.
• Support, guide and develop engineers on shift, providing practical direction and helping the team make sound decisions under pressure.
• Maintain high standards of engineering discipline, safe working, food safety, housekeeping and best practice.
• Communicate clearly with Operations and senior stakeholders, taking ownership of shift performance, priorities and risks.
• Contribute to root-cause analysis and continuous improvement to increase equipment reliability and reduce repeat failures.

Qualifications and experience:

• Are time-served, multi-skilled engineers with strong mechanical and electrical capability and a recognised engineering apprenticeship, qualification or equivalent practical experience.
• Have strong experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment; food or poultry manufacturing experience would be advantageous.
• Have previous supervisory, acting team leader or senior engineer experience, or are established senior engineers ready to progress into leadership.
• Are confident fault-finders who remain calm, practical and decisive when responding to breakdowns and operational pressure.
• Can take ownership, lead by example and communicate clear expectations to engineers, operational colleagues and senior stakeholders.
• Are able to work permanent nights on a 12-hour, 4 on / 4 off shift pattern.

2 Sisters Food Group is one of the UK's leading food manufacturing businesses. More than 15,000 colleagues from 36 nationalities help us produce a huge range of high-quality food, from poultry and pizza to pies, ready meals and soups.

From humble beginnings in the early 1990s, we've grown to become one of Europe's leading food manufacturers. We have a strong UK presence across poultry, chilled and bakery categories and are home to well-known brands including Holland's Pies.

Our customers include Aldi, Asda, Co-op, KFC, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose.

• A highly competitive salary of up to £61,000, an excellent benefits package and overtime opportunities.
• Training, further qualifications and genuine career-development opportunities.
• Access to the Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme and GroceryAid support.
• A 50% discount at various restaurants.
• Access to the Cycle2Work Scheme.