Technical Manager

Blakeney Point Search & Selection; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Blakeney Point Search & Selection is seeking an experienced Technical Manager for a leading UK food manufacturer. The role is site-based, offering visibility across Production, NPD, Procurement, Supply Chain and Commercial teams.

You will own the technical and quality management systems, drive HACCP compliance, audits and continuous improvement, and coach colleagues to uphold the highest quality and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Proven experience within a Technical Manager, Quality Manager or Senior Technical role in food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety systems, GMP and quality management.
• Experience with retailer standards, customer requirements and third-party audits.
• Understanding of UK food legislation, allergen management and product compliance.
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Ability to lead audits and drive corrective actions across the site.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's food safety and quality management systems.
• Manage HACCP, risk assessments and technical compliance activities.
• Maintain customer, regulatory and third-party accreditation standards.
• Lead internal and external audits and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Manage product specifications, policies and technical documentation.
• Investigate quality issues, complaints and non-conformances and drive improvements.
• Support product launches, packaging development and process changes from a technical perspective.
• Monitor technical KPIs and identify opportunities to improve quality and performance.
• Act as the key technical contact for customers and certification bodies.
• Foster a proactive food safety and quality culture across the business.
• Coach and develop colleagues across functions.

Job description

Protecting Quality. Driving Standards. Influencing the Future.

This is an opportunity to join a successful, growing food manufacturer where quality, craftsmanship and product excellence sit at the heart of everything they do.

We're looking for an experienced Technical Manager who enjoys being visible on site, building relationships across the business and driving a culture where food safety, quality and continuous improvement are genuinely valued.

Reporting into the senior leadership team, you'll take ownership of all technical and quality management systems, ensuring the business continues to meet the highest standards of food safety, legality, compliance and customer expectations.

This is a hands-on role that combines technical leadership with practical factory engagement, working closely with Production, NPD, Procurement, Supply Chain and Commercial teams.

The Role

You'll be responsible for:

• Leading the site's food safety and quality management systems.
• Managing HACCP, risk assessments and technical compliance activities.
• Maintaining customer, regulatory and third-party accreditation standards.
• Leading internal and external audits and ensuring corrective actions are implemented effectively.
• Managing product specifications, policies, procedures and technical documentation.
• Investigating quality issues, complaints and non-conformances, identifying root causes and driving improvements.
• Supporting product launches, packaging developments and process changes from a technical perspective.
• Monitoring technical KPIs and identifying opportunities to improve product consistency, quality and operational performance.
• Acting as the key technical contact for customers, certification bodies and external stakeholders.
• Driving a positive food safety and quality culture throughout the business.
• Coaching, training and developing colleagues across all functions.

What We're Looking For

You'll ideally bring:

• Proven experience within a Technical Manager, Quality Manager or Senior Technical role in food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety systems, GMP and quality management.
• Experience of retailer standards, customer requirements and third-party audits.
• A thorough understanding of UK food legislation, allergen management and product compliance.
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Experience managing customer, certification and regulatory audits.
• The ability to analyse technical data and turn findings into practical improvements.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to influence at every level of the business.

Why Join?

• Join a highly respected food manufacturer with an excellent reputation for quality.
• Be part of a business that genuinely values product excellence and continuous improvement.
• Highly visible role with direct influence across the operation.
• Opportunity to shape technical standards and drive future improvements.
• Collaborative culture with strong support from senior leadership.
• A varied position offering both strategic responsibility and day-to-day operational involvement.

Ideal Backgrounds

We'd be particularly interested in speaking with:

• Technical Managers
• Senior Quality Managers
• Quality & Compliance Managers
• Food Safety Managers
• Technical Services Managers
• QA Managers ready to step up
• Compliance Managers within food manufacturing

We can consider a 4 day a week candidate