Factory Technical Manager

True North Talent Limited; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

True North Talent Limited seeks an experienced Factory Technical Manager to lead on-site technical and quality standards across a busy Lancashire-based food manufacturing operation. You will be visible on the floor, partner with Production, Engineering, Hygiene and Warehouse teams, and drive improvements to meet retailer expectations and audit readiness.

You’ll coach colleagues, deputise for the Site Technical Manager during audits, and ensure a practical, hands-on approach to resolving issues

Qualifications

• Previous technical experience within a food manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading, coaching or supervising technical/quality colleagues.
• Strong understanding of food safety, technical standards and factory compliance.
• Experience working with retailer requirements and customer audits.
• The confidence to challenge standards and influence colleagues across different functions.
• A practical, hands-on approach with the ability to identify issues and drive them through to resolution.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring finished product meets agreed technical and quality standards.
• Maintaining a high level of audit readiness across the factory.
• Establishing and embedding clear “what good looks like” standards.
• Coaching and supporting QA, Production, Engineering, Hygiene and Warehouse teams.
• Identifying the causes of avoidable non-conformances and driving improvements in factory practices.
• Supporting retailer code approval requirements and managing associated samples.
• Overseeing pest control processes across the manufacturing operation.
• Deputising for the Site Technical Manager during audits and factory walkarounds.
• Spending the majority of your time on the factory floor, providing a visible technical presence.
• Working flexibly across shifts where required to maintain standards and provide technical support.

Skills

Technical leadership

Quality coaching

Food safety knowledge

Retailer audits

Cross-functional influence

Hands-on problem solving

Job description

Location: Lancashire

The Opportunity

A hands-on technical leadership role where you’ll be visible on the factory floor, influence standards and help drive technical performance across a busy food manufacturing operation. This is an opportunity for an experienced Technical professional to take ownership of factory technical standards, work closely with Production, Engineering, Hygiene and Warehouse teams, and make a tangible difference to day-to-day technical performance. You’ll be joining an established food manufacturing business at an important stage of its development, with continued investment and growth creating opportunities for people who want to make an impact rather than simply maintain the status quo.

Why this role?

This is a highly visible, factory-based role working alongside the Site Technical Manager. Your focus will be on maintaining audit readiness, improving factory standards and challenging practices that create avoidable non-conformances. You’ll also play an important role in coaching colleagues across the site and deputising for the Technical Manager during audits and factory walkarounds. It’s a role that will suit someone who enjoys being close to the operation, can build credibility with different departments and is comfortable holding standards when they need to be challenged.

What will you be responsible for?

• Ensuring finished product meets agreed technical and quality standards.
• Maintaining a high level of audit readiness across the factory.
• Establishing and embedding clear “what good looks like” standards.
• Coaching and supporting QA, Production, Engineering, Hygiene and Warehouse teams.
• Identifying the causes of avoidable non-conformances and driving improvements in factory practices.
• Supporting retailer code approval requirements and managing associated samples.
• Overseeing pest control processes across the manufacturing operation.
• Deputising for the Site Technical Manager during audits and factory walkarounds.
• Spending the majority of your time on the factory floor, providing a visible technical presence.
• Working flexibly across shifts where required to maintain standards and provide technical support.

What we're looking for

Essential

• Previous technical experience within a food manufacturing environment.
• Experience of leading, coaching or supervising technical/quality colleagues.
• Strong understanding of food safety, technical standards and factory compliance.
• Experience working with retailer requirements and customer audits.
• The confidence to challenge standards and influence colleagues across different functions.
• A practical, hands-on approach with the ability to identify issues and drive them through to resolution.

Desirable

• Experience deputising for a Technical Manager or leading technical activity during audits.
• Experience working with major UK retailers.
• Experience across QA, factory standards and technical compliance.

What's on offer?

This is a great business to join as they really invest in the people and support development and growth. This is a Factory Technical Manager they are looking to find someone who has experience working in the factory running the technical and quality team. We are seeking applications from talented QA Managers, Assistant Technical Managers, Senior QA Managers, Factory Technical Managers or Technical Managers, who live within Greater Manchester & Lancashire.

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