Technical Manager

Oscar Mayer Group UK; Chester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Oscar Mayer Group UK is seeking a Technical Manager to lead the QA and technical activities at the factory, ensuring products meet safety and quality standards, and to drive the technical agenda with a multi-disciplinary team.

You will oversee HACCP, respond to customer audits, and liaise with Production, NPD and Process Development to ensure site compliance and continuous improvement in a fast-paced, multi-retail environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in a food-related discipline and knowledge of HACCP, BRC and retail codes of practice and audit requirements.
• Knowledge of food legislation standards.
• Previous experience in a technical role is essential.
• Experience in ready meals is highly desirable.
• Previous experience of managing teams.

Responsibilities

• Continually develop and maintain the food safety management system and HACCP.
• Advise on hygiene and housekeeping, factory fabrication and food handling practices.
• Provide information to external customers on food safety and quality matters.
• Lead audits and be the main contact for customer audits with documentation and corrective actions.
• Support internal audits and investigations on food safety incidents and deviations.
• Ensure finished goods meet customer specifications and liaise with NPD and Process Development.

Skills

Food safety

HACCP

BRC standards

Audit management

Team leadership

Quality systems

Food legislation

Communication

Multi-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Degree in food-related discipline

Job description

Role Overview

• Accountable for the Technical and QA activities within the factory, with responsibility for driving the technical agenda supported by a multi-disciplined team.
• The Technical Manager is responsible for ensuring that all products manufactured by the site meet safety, quality and legal requirements. This will be achieved by monitoring and maintaining Oscar Mayer's food safety management systems, complying with retailer standards and being a HACCP team leader for the site.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Continually develop and maintain Oscar Mayer's food safety management system and HACCP.
• Advise on hygiene and housekeeping, factory fabrication and food handling practices to ensure products are produced in a food-safe environment.
• Provide information and expertise to external customers on all food safety and quality related matters. Represent the team in customer KPI meetings.
• Ensure compliance with the customer's policies and standards and the BRC Global Standard. Ensure compliance to relevant standards e.g., RSPO, MSC, etc
• Lead audit preparation across the site supported by a multi-disciplined team
• Be the main contact for customer audits. Liaise with customer/third party auditor(s). Ensure all documentation is available. Implement agreed corrective actions.
• Support the internal audit system, ensuring audits are carried out to the agreed schedule.
• Advise and lead investigation on food safety incidents and any out-of-spec micro.
• Ensure micro and complaint trends are identified, investigated, communicated to customers (when required) and relevant corrective actions are implemented.
• Liaise and co-operate with the production to ensure that the finished goods quality complies with the customer specifications.
• Liaise with the NPD and Process Development teams to ensure new products meet site HACCP requirements.
• Manage the factory QA teams. Set objectives and team and individual KPI's.
• Manage the factory audit system, ensuring relevant audits are carried out to the agreed schedule.
• Manage the validation site programme, ensure relevant validations are completed on time.
• Support the site's continuous improvement programme and transition to paperless systems.

Key Attributes

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, multi-retail site
• Great communicator, ability to work effectively among teams of people from varied experiences and backgrounds
• Work with pace and decision-making when time is sensitive

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in a food-related discipline.
• Knowledge of HACCP, BRC and retail codes of practice and audit requirements.
• Knowledge of food legislation standards.
• Previous experience in a technical role is essential.
• Experience in ready meals is highly desirable
• Previous experience of managing teams.

Additional Information

• Hours of work: 08:00-17:00

Please note: This job description outlines the core responsibilities and duties of the role. It is not an exhaustive list, and the role may evolve over time to include additional tasks and responsibilities in line with business needs.