European Head of Technical

True North Talent Limited; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a Senior Head of Technical in the UK. This role involves driving compliance, quality, and innovation across food manufacturing standards. The ideal candidate will have substantial leadership experience, a deep understanding of technical management, and expertise in food safety. If you are located in North-East Scotland or open to relocation, this could be the opportunity to make a significant impact in the industry.

Benefits

Bupa membership

Simply Health access

Death in Service

Pension plan

Staff shop discount

Sustainability-focused culture

Qualifications

• Experience managing diverse teams across multiple sites.
• Expertise in food manufacturing and quality standards.
• Proven track record in motivating and developing teams.

Responsibilities

• Driving compliance, quality, and innovation across a diverse portfolio.
• Leading a high-performing technical team.
• Overseeing quality management systems.

Skills

Leadership

Technical management

Data analysis

Compliance and food safety

Project management

Education

Degree in Food Science or relevant experience

Job description

Overview

We’re seeking a visionary European Head of Technical to drive a high-performance culture across the region, ensuring every product meets the highest standards of safety, quality, and compliance. This influential role is at the heart of the European division, working cross-functionally with all departments, leading customer and stakeholder relationships and delivering dynamic, efficient technical systems that keep the business ahead of industry demands. If you’re passionate about raising standards, inspiring teams, and shaping the technical agenda across Europe, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

About You

• As the Head of Technical, you will be a proven leader with experience managing diverse teams across multiple sites and geographies, with a strong track record in motivating, developing, and influencing people at all levels.
• Extensive technical management expertise in food manufacturing, spanning both branded and retailer products.
• Skilled in analysing data to drive performance improvements, support cost reduction initiatives and deliver greater operational efficiency.
• Strong focus on compliance and food safety, with measurable success in raising quality standards and operational performance.
• Calm, systematic and proactive approach to managing multiple priorities, building transparency and aligning technical and operational goals with wider business needs.
• Preferably, you will have substantial experience of major retailer requirements and code of practises.
• You will need to be degree qualified in Food Science or possess substantial, relevant experience.

What will you be doing?

This senior technical leader will be driving compliance, quality and innovation across a diverse portfolio, which will include, but not be limited to:

• Leading and developing a high-performing technical team, ensuring strong recruitment, talent development and performance management to continually raise standards.
• Overseeing and maintaining robust quality management systems to guarantee food safety, compliance and customer confidence.
• Translating business objectives into clear technical strategies and workflows, building them into a roadmap that supports growth and continuous improvement.
• Partnering closely with NPD and wider functions to deliver exciting product innovation without compromising on quality or compliance.
• Acting as the key technical contact for customers, consumers and external authorities, developing collaborative relationships while managing budgets effectively.
• Travel between UK and European sites is required.

What can they offer you?

• Bupa membership with the option of buying cover for family members
• Access to Simply Health (offering discount on a range of health items
• Death in Service
• Pension, with a rising contribution after two years’ service
• Staff shop discount
• Joining a company whose approach to sustainability is closely aligned to their ethos and values and through their people, partnerships, products and giving back.
• A culture where people develop and thrive, with many employees within their teams having over 25 years’ service under their belts

We are seeking applications from talented Heads of Technical, European Technical Directors, Regional Technical Leads, Heads of Technical Excellence or European Heads of Quality & Technical who live within North-East Scotland, Inverness, Aberdeen, Aviemore or who is open to relocation.

How to Apply

If you have the desired qualifications and experience, please send your CV quoting re ES/TNT/2057 or call 0161 399 1575 / 07564 579301 for a confidential discussion.

True North Talent is recognised as a trusted supplier of permanent, contract and interim recruitment services to the food manufacturing and FMCG industries. Our teams of specialist recruiters operate across food manufacturing Operations Jobs, food manufacturing Engineering jobs, food manufacturing Technical jobs, food manufacturing NPD jobs, food manufacturing Supply Chain jobs and food manufacturing Commercial jobs. We may hold your data, as per our privacy policy detailed on our website.

We are only able to consider candidates who have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we can only contact successful applicants.

For more information on True North Talent or to discuss how we can find talent for your business then please visit our website.