Technical Manager - Food Manufacturing

HPRtalent; South Town; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Bonus

Excellent benefits

Job summary

HPRtalent is recruiting for a Head of Technical at a high-growth ambient food manufacturer in Hampshire. This senior leadership role holds full accountability for food safety, quality and regulatory compliance across sites.

The successful candidate will lead the Quality & Food Safety Strategy, ensure BRC standards, manage retailer relationships, drive continuous improvement in GMP and allergen control, and participate in Capex and process improvements to shape the site’s technical agenda.

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science or related discipline.
• Experience in a technical leadership role in fast-paced food manufacturing.
• Multi-site experience.
• Strong knowledge of BRC and retailer compliance frameworks.
• HACCP and Food Safety qualifications (minimum Level 2).
• Experience managing retailer technical relationships.
• Strong analytical capability and data-led decision making.
• Structured, logical problem solving with continuous improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead all sites Quality & Food Safety Strategy.
• Ensure full compliance with BRC standards and customer Codes of Practice.
• Act as primary contact for retailer audits and regulatory inspections.
• Manage introduction of new product lines from technical/compliance perspective.
• Drive continuous improvement across GMP, hygiene and allergen management.
• Generate internal management reviews and external customer reports.
• Lead technical investigations with production and engineering.
• Contribute to Capex discussions and process improvements.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Food safety standards

HACCP

BRC compliance

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decisions

Multi-site management

Communication

Continuous improvement

Education

Degree in Food Science or related

Job description

Head of Technical – food manufacturing

Location: Hampshire

£80-95,000+ car allowance + bonus +excellent benefits

A high-growth High Care food manufacturing sites in Hampshire is entering a significant expansion phase and is seeking an experienced Technical Leader to join its senior leadership team.

The business produces a range of branded and private label ambient products for major UK retailers and international markets. Following recent capital investment and with a clear three-year growth strategy in place, the sites are positioned to substantially increase revenue and operational capability.

To support this next stage of development, the Head of Technical is required to lead and evolve the site’s technical and quality agenda.

The role:

This is a senior multi-site leadership role with full accountability for food safety, quality and regulatory compliance.

• Leading all sites Quality & Food Safety Strategy
• Ensuring full compliance with BRC standards and all customer Codes of Practice
• Acting as the primary contact for retailer technologists, audits and regulatory inspections
• Managing the introduction of new product lines from a technical and compliance perspective
• Driving continuous improvement across GMP, hygiene, allergen management and pest control Analysing quality and food safety metrics to identify trends and deliver measurable improvement
• Generating internal management review documentation and external customer technical reports
• Leading technical investigations in partnership with production and engineering
• Contributing to Capex discussions, process improvements and equipment selection
• Reviewing and optimising the site’s technical structure and resource deployment

The role works closely with NPD, Engineering, Manufacturing, Commercial teams, raw material and packaging suppliers, third-party service providers and customer technical stakeholders.

The person:

We are seeking a technically strong leader with:

• Degree qualification in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline
• Demonstrable experience in a similar technical leadership role within fast-paced food manufacturing, beverages or FMCG
• Multi-site experience
• Strong practical knowledge of BRC and retailer compliance frameworks
• HACCP and Food Safety qualifications (minimum Level 2, ideally advanced)
• Experience managing complex retailer technical relationships
• Strong analytical capability and data-led decision making
• Confidence in challenging existing systems and driving improvement
• Ability to operate effectively under tight deadlines and multiple priorities
• Excellent stakeholder management across operational and commercial teams
• Clear and confident communication at all levels
• A structured, logical approach to problem solving
• A continuous improvement mindset
• Experience within ambient and fresh categories would be advantageous.

Why Consider This Role?

• Senior leadership influence within a growing business
• Significant retailer exposure
• Clear strategic growth trajectory
• Opportunity to shape and modernise the technical systems and agenda
• Long-term career progression potential

This opportunity will suit an ambitious Senior Technical Manager who thrives in a growth environment and wants to play a meaningful role in delivering the next chapter of business performance.