Technical Manager

manucomm recruitment; Exeter; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing firm in the Exeter area is seeking a Technical Manager to lead quality and food safety activities across their sites. The ideal candidate will have strong knowledge of industry standards like BRC, along with hands-on operational understanding and excellent communication skills. This role includes managing teams, driving a culture of quality, and ensuring compliance during audits. Occasional travel to the sister site in West Sussex is required.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of BRC and other relevant industry standards.
• Private label compliance experience including specifications and audits.
• Hands-on operational understanding to solve real-time challenges.
• Minimum Level 3 HACCP & Food Safety qualification.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Technical teams across both sites, ensuring high performance.
• Drive a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Oversee internal and external audits, ensuring all accreditations are maintained.
• Work collaboratively with Operations to resolve production challenges.
• Manage non-conformances with a focus on eliminations.

Skills

Knowledge of BRC

Private label compliance

Hands-on operational understanding

Minimum Level 3 HACCP & Food Safety

Excellent communication skills

Job description

Overview

Technical Manager. Exeter Area with some travel required. £Competitive

My client based near Exeter is a manufacturer of premium food products. Reporting directly to the Directors, within this role you will lead all technical, quality and food safety activities across the site. As part of the role you will also be managing the Technical team at their sister site based in West Sussex, so occasional travel there will be required (once every couple of weeks and when audits are conducted). The ideal candidate will be hands on, whilst also being commercially creative. You will have the ability to lead and manage audits and regularly update the Board.

Technical Manager Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Technical teams across both sites, ensuring high performance and standards.
• Drive a culture of quality, food safety and continuous improvement.
• Bring a hands-on, solution-oriented approach - ready to step in and assist our teams whenever needed.
• Remain calm and decisive under pressure, especially when faced with operational and technical challenges.
• Oversee internal and external audits (including BRC), ensuring all accreditations are maintained.
• Manage private label compliance - meeting customer standards, specifications and audit requirements.
• Ensure supplier approval systems are robust, compliant and up to date.
• Work collaboratively with Operations to address and resolve production challenges.
• Apply pragmatic, commercially minded solutions that work in a real manufacturing environment.
• Own and continually improve the Group Quality Management System.
• Lead HACCP teams, ensuring plans are current and effectively implemented.
• Manage non-conformances with a focus on eliminating root causes.
• Lead complaint investigations, ensuring prompt and professional customer communication.
• Support NPD technical sign-off for both branded and private label products.
• Represent the business during customer visits, audits and site tours.

Technical Manager – Skills / Experience Required

• Strong knowledge of BRC and other relevant industry standards.
• Private label compliance experience - specifications, audits and customer requirements.
• Hands-on operational understanding - able to work closely with production and assist in solving real-time challenges.
• Minimum Level 3 HACCP & Food Safety qualification.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and analytical skills.

If the role is of interest, then please send your CV today