Group Head of Technical

Quorum Search Partners; Northern Ireland; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Job summary

Quorum Search Partners partners with a fast-growing Irish food business to appoint a senior Group Head of Technical. This role leads technical, quality and safety governance across owned and contract manufacturing with international reach.

You will drive group technical strategy, ensure regulatory compliance (BRCGS, HACCP) and build capability across multi-site operations, collaborating with Operations, Supply Chain and senior leadership on future growth initiatives.

Qualifications

• Senior technical leadership experience within food manufacturing.
• Strong food safety, quality and compliance expertise.
• Experience of multi-site manufacturing and/or co-manufacturing networks.
• Strong BRCGS and retailer standards knowledge.
• Ability to challenge, influence and make sound technical decisions.
• Calm, evidence-led approach under pressure.
• Strong people leadership and team development capability.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience in high-risk, free-from or allergen-controlled manufacturing is highly relevant.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across the group with governance and standards.
• Oversee food safety, quality, regulatory compliance and supplier assurance.
• Manage technical oversight of manufacturing partners and co-manufacturers.
• Maintain customer standards and retailer technical relationships.
• Support NPD and innovation while upskilling the technical team.
• Build capability and lead multi-site technical teams across locations.
• Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, Commercial and senior leadership.

Skills

Senior technical leadership

Food safety & quality

Regulatory compliance

BRCGS knowledge

Co-manufacturing networks

Stakeholder management

People leadership

Communication skills

Job description

Quorum Search Partners has partnered with a fast-growing Irish food business in the appointment of a senior Group Head of Technical.

The business operates across international markets, has its own manufacturing and is continuing to invest in manufacturing, automation, innovation and future growth.

This is a senior leadership role with responsibility across technical, quality, food safety, supplier assurance, co-manufacturing, customer standards and technical governance.

The role

You will provide technical leadership across the group, ensuring strong standards, robust governance and consistent delivery across both owned manufacturing and external manufacturing partners.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Group technical strategy, governance and risk management
• Food safety, quality and regulatory compliance
• BRCGS, HACCP, TACCP and VACCP standards
• Allergen management, food fraud, traceability and recall readiness
• Technical oversight of manufacturing and co-manufacturing partners
• Customer technical relationships and retailer standards
• Product integrity, labelling, claims, shelf life and packaging compliance
• Technical support for NPD and innovation
• Building capability and developing strong technical teams
• Working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Commercial, Innovation and senior leadership

About you

We are looking for an experienced technical leader who can operate comfortably from the factory floor to senior leadership level.

You are likely to bring:

• Senior technical leadership experience within food manufacturing
• Strong food safety, quality and compliance expertise
• Experience of multi-site manufacturing and/or co-manufacturing networks
• Strong BRCGS and retailer standards knowledge
• The confidence to challenge, influence and make sound technical decisions
• A calm, measured and evidence-led approach under pressure
• Strong people leadership and team development capability
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Experience in high-risk, free-from or allergen-controlled manufacturing experience would be highly relevant, although strong senior technical leaders from broader food manufacturing backgrounds will also be considered.

The opportunity

This is a chance to join a growing food business with significant international reach and ambitious plans for the future.

The successful person will have the opportunity to shape technical strategy, strengthen capability across the group and play a key role in the next phase of growth.

All applications will be treated in strict confidence.