Technical Director - Food Manufacturing

HPRExecutive; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

HPRExecutive is seeking a Technical Director to lead strategic technical direction for a high-care food manufacturing group at Board level. This role shapes the future across sites, elevates safety and quality, and builds a high-performing, multi-disciplinary technical function with senior stakeholders, including retailers.

Relocation to the Home Counties is available, with a salary of c£140-£155k plus executive benefits, car allowance and bonus, and genuine influence at the Executive Leadership

Qualifications

• Minimum degree educated, ideally with further education in microbiology.
• Significant senior technical leadership experience within complex food manufacturing.
• Strong retailer-facing credibility with major UK retailers.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the technical vision and strategy for the organisation.
• Lead, develop and inspire a large multi-disciplinary technical function.
• Drive food safety, quality and compliance standards across multiple sites.
• Lead technical workstreams for higher-care manufacturing evolution.
• Build capability, succession pipelines and a high-performing technical culture.
• Act as senior technical representative with customers, retailers and external stakeholders.

Skills

Board-level leadership

Technical strategy

Food manufacturing

Retailer-facing credibility

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Technical Director – high care food manufacturing

Board-Level Technical Leadership Opportunity

Location: Home Counties – relocation or living away from home available

Salary: c£140-155,000 + executive benefits including car allowance and bonus

Some Technical Director roles ask you to maintain standards.

This one asks you to shape the future.

We're partnering with a highly successful, privately owned multi-site food manufacturing business embarking on a significant phase of transformation and growth. With an established customer base, ambitious plans for future development and substantial investment underway, we are seeking an exceptional Technical Director to join the Executive Leadership Team.

This is a genuine Board-level appointment with responsibility for leading the technical agenda across multiple manufacturing operations whilst helping shape the future direction of the business.

The opportunity extends far beyond traditional technical leadership.

You will be instrumental in evolving technical capability, strengthening organisational effectiveness and leading the technical strategy associated with the transition into chilled and higher-care manufacturing environments. You will also serve as the external face of Technical, building trusted relationships with customers and influencing stakeholders across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the technical vision and strategy for the organisation.
• Lead, develop and inspire a large multi-disciplinary technical function.
• Drive food safety, quality and compliance standards across multiple sites.
• Lead the technical workstreams associated with higher-care manufacturing evolution.
• Build capability, succession pipelines and a high-performing technical culture.
• Act as the senior technical representative with customers, retailers and external stakeholders.
• Influence cross-functional peers to ensure technical excellence remains embedded throughout the business.
• Support investment decisions relating to facilities, processes and future growth.
• Provide strategic input as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

We're Interested in Speaking With Individuals Who Bring:

• Minimum degree educated and ideally further education in microbiology
• Significant senior technical leadership experience within complex food manufacturing environments ideally at board level
• Strong retailer-facing credibility with major UK retailers.
• Experience operating within chilled and/or higher-care manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrable experience leading technical transformation and organisational change.
• A proven ability to build, develop and inspire technical teams.
• The gravitas and influence to operate effectively at Board level.
• Strong commercial awareness and cross-functional leadership capability.
• The ability to win hearts and minds whilst maintaining uncompromising technical standards.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is a rare opportunity to join a business where Technical has a genuine seat at the table.

You'll have the autonomy, support and influence to shape the future technical agenda, build long-term capability and leave a lasting legacy within a growing organisation.

For the right individual, this represents one of those career-defining opportunities where your contribution will genuinely shape the future of the business.