Head of Technical

D R Newitt & Associates; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK food group is seeking a Senior Technical Leader to oversee technical functions across three manufacturing sites. This role offers autonomy and significant influence, reporting to the Group Head of Quality & Compliance. Candidates should have substantial technical leadership experience in chilled food manufacturing and possess strong relationships with prominent UK retailers. This high-impact position promises real progression within a rapidly expanding organization.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in technical leadership in the food manufacturing industry, particularly in chilled products.
• Familiarity with UK retailers like M&S, Tesco, and Asda is essential.
• Ability to manage audits and customer relationships effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical function across three manufacturing sites.
• Drive food safety, legality, quality, and integrity initiatives.
• Implement and embed group technical strategies.
• Manage and develop a large site technical team.
• Enhance performance using data and insights.
• Engage with high-profile customers and drive audit excellence.

Skills

Senior technical leadership experience in food manufacturing

Strong UK retailer experience

Proven audit leadership

Commercial awareness

Strong communication skills

Education

Degree qualified with food safety credentials

Job description

A senior, visible leadership role with genuine group progression.

This is not a “keep the wheels turning” technical role.

This is a career-defining opportunity to take full technical ownership across three closely located manufacturing sites within a major UK chilled food group that is expanding fast and investing heavily in its future leadership.

Why this role is different - what's in it for you

• Real scale & influence - lead technical across multiple sites, shaping standards, performance and culture
• Direct exposure to group leadership - reporting into the Group Head of Quality & Compliance
• A business in major growth mode - complexity, challenge and opportunity
• Clear progression beyond site - a proven pathway into broader group technical and leadership roles
• Autonomy with backing - authority to lead, improve and challenge, supported by a strong group framework
• High-profile customer engagement - working with some of the UK's most demanding retailers

If you're ambitious, commercially aware and ready to accelerate your career, this role is built for you.

The Role

You will lead the technical function across three sites, delivering the site and customer technical strategy while driving food safety, legality, quality and integrity. Working closely with site leadership, customers and group functions, you will set standards, lead teams and drive continuous improvement.

Key Accountabilities

• Full ownership of technical customer management and compliance
• Lead, develop and performance-manage a large site technical team
• Implement and embed the group technical strategy
• Drive audit excellence and lead customer visits and launches
• Use data and insight to continuously improve technical performance
• Build strong cross-functional and customer relationships

About You

• Senior technical leadership experience in food manufacturing (ideally chilled)
• Strong UK retailer experience (ideally M&S, Tesco, Asda, JS)
• Proven audit leadership and customer-facing capability
• Commercially aware, confident and resilient in fast-paced environments
• Degree qualified with strong food safety and auditing credentials

In short

This is a high-impact, multi-site leadership role within a growing group where strong performance leads to real progression.

If you want influence now — and bigger opportunities ahead — this is the role