Lead Engineer

Weetabix; Burton Latimer; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension scheme (double‑matched)

25 days annual leave

Annual salary review

Healthcare plan

Staff product discounts

Flexible work opportunities

Job summary

Weetabix is seeking a Lead Engineer to provide day-to-day engineering leadership for a manufacturing shift, ensuring equipment runs safely, reliably and efficiently. You will coordinate planned maintenance, respond to breakdowns, and support strong shift performance.

Balancing hands-on technical expertise with people leadership, you will develop skills in the team, uphold high engineering standards, and drive continuous improvement to maximise asset uptime and production targets.

Qualifications

• Maintenance expertise across mechanical, electrical and control systems.
• Experience developing engineering capability including apprentices across maintenance and improvement activities.
• Proficient with CMMS to improve planning and inform outcomes.
• Clear insight of manufacturing operations and impact on OEE, downtime, cost, quality and waste.

Responsibilities

• Deploy resources effectively to minimise downtime, remove bottlenecks, and improve productivity.
• Support performance management, coaching, and development planning, including apprentices.
• Provide hands-on technical support to resolve breakdowns and maintain safe, efficient operations.
• Produce shift reports, including engineering performance, breakdown trends, and operational impact.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, Food Safety, company standards, and statutory requirements.
• Manage Permit to Work processes and the safe control of contractors and high‑risk activities.
• Maintain accurate CMMS records, ensuring quality data and timely job completion.
• Coach and develop engineering and production colleagues to build capability.
• Support engineering activities across multiple production facilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Lead root cause investigations and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Respond to major breakdowns, driving rapid fault resolution and reducing downtime.
• Collaborate with engineering and operational teams to improve reliability, performance, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

Mechanical & electrical maintenance

CMMS proficiency

OEE awareness

Troubleshooting

Education

Engineering apprenticeship experience

Tools

CMMS software

Job description

At Weetabix, we believe that diverse teams drive better ideas, stronger decisions, and a more inclusive workplace for everyone. We're committed to building an organisation where people from all walks of life feel they belong—where different voices, experiences, and backgrounds are valued and respected.

Closing Date: 11th September

Interview process: 2 Stage Interview Process

Working pattern: 24/7 Panama Shift Pattern

We're happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can support you.

Weetabix is on an exciting growth journey, and many of the opportunities we are recruiting for are newly created roles. These positions reflect our investment in people, capabilities and innovation as we continue to build for the future.

The Recipe (About the Role)

As a Lead Engineer, you will provide day-to-day engineering leadership for a manufacturing shift, ensuring equipment and processes run safely, reliably, and efficiently. Working closely with a team of multi-skilled engineers, you will coordinate planned maintenance, respond to breakdowns, and support strong shift performance.

Balancing hands-on technical expertise with people leadership, you will support skills development, uphold high engineering standards, and ensure maintenance is delivered effectively. You will play a key role in maximising asset uptime, reducing downtime, and enabling the shift to consistently achieve production, safety, and quality targets.

• Deploy resources effectively to minimise downtime, remove bottlenecks, and improve productivity
• Support performance management, coaching, and development planning, including apprentices
• Provide hands‑on technical support to resolve breakdowns and maintain safe, efficient operations
• Produce shift reports, including engineering performance, breakdown trends, and operational impact
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, Food Safety, company standards, and statutory requirements
• Manage Permit to Work processes and the safe control of contractors and high‑risk activities
• Maintain accurate CMMS records, ensuring quality data and timely job completion
• Coach and develop engineering and production colleagues to build capability
• Support engineering activities across multiple production facilities in a fast‑paced environment
• Lead root cause investigations and implement effective corrective and preventive actions
• Respond to major breakdowns, driving rapid fault resolution and reducing downtime
• Collaborate with engineering and operational teams to improve reliability, performance, and continuous improvement
• Support wider business needs through additional duties as required

The Ingredients (What we need from you)

• Engineering maintenance expertise across mechanical, electrical and control systems in complex manufacturing
• Experience developing engineering capability, including assisting teams and apprentices across maintenance and improvement activities
• Proficient in Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), using data to improve planning and inform outcomes
• Clear insight of manufacturing operations and impact on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), downtime, cost, quality and waste
• Ability to work jointly with production and engineering teams to align maintenance planning, scheduling and continuous improvement

Your Bowl of Perks (Benefits)

Competitive salary & Annual Flexible benefits

We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, career, and life outside work.

• Annual bonus
• Double‑matched pension scheme (up to 12% from us)
• 25 days annual leave increasing with service
• Annual Salary review
• Healthcare plan
• Discounted Weetabix products

To support our employees, we also offer:

• Continued investment in your personal development
• We believe in balance, whether it's for family, rest or simply time for you. As well as your holiday entitlement, you can purchase up to 5 days of additional annual leave
• Access to 24/7 counselling service (via Grocery Aid partnership)
• The freedom of Flexible Work Opportunities
• Enhanced Maternity / Paternity / Adoption Leave
• Additional Time Off for Fertility Treatment and Neonatal Care
• Working Parents Support Group
• Fully stocked kitchens filled with our delicious products for you to enjoy

To learn more about life at Weetabix, visit our careers page: https://careers.weetabixfoodcompany.co.uk/

Please note: We benchmark roles based on your skills and experience, so we do not advertise fixed salary ranges.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this position; therefore, we are seeking candidates who do not require sponsorship.

We utilise our Preferred Agency Supplier Partners as and when we require additional support

#HaveYouHadYourWeetabix