Senior Technical Manager - Food Safety & Quality Lead

Novus Recruitment Limited; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Novus Recruitment Limited is seeking a Senior Technical Manager for a leading UK food manufacturer in Kent. You will own the site's technical strategy, shaping food safety, quality, compliance and continuous improvement across the operation.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll lead a high-performing technical and quality function, manage audits with retailers, and drive transformational projects to sustain growth and product excellence.

Qualifications

• Significant technical management experience within UK food manufacturing.
• Proven success supplying major UK retailers and acting as the primary technical contact for customers.
• Strong experience with food safety management systems, audits and regulatory compliance.
• Degree in Food Science/Technology, plus HACCP Lead Assessor or equivalent qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the site's food safety and quality strategy.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Technical and Quality team.
• Act as the site's technical authority on all food safety, quality, legal, and regulatory matters.
• Manage customer audits, retailer relationships, and external technical contacts.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across technical, operational, and supply chain functions.
• Build strong partnerships with major UK retailers, suppliers, and key stakeholders.
• Lead customer-facing technical communications with integrity, confidence, and credibility.
• Develop a learning culture that promotes technical excellence throughout the organisation.
• Influence and challenge senior stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of compliance, customer service, and product quality.
• Support innovation and growth initiatives through robust technical leadership.

Skills

Technical Leadership

People management

Stakeholder influence

Quality mindset

Continuous improvement

Education

Degree in Food Science/Technology

HACCP Lead Assessor / equivalent qualifications

Job description

Novus Recruitment Limited is seeking a Senior Technical Manager for a leading UK food manufacturer in Kent. You will own the site's technical strategy, shaping food safety, quality, compliance and continuous improvement across the operation.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll lead a high-performing technical and quality function, manage audits with retailers, and drive transformational projects to sustain growth and product excellence.