Technical Manager – Lead Food Safety & Quality Excellence

Henderson Brown Recruitment; Eastleigh; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5% annual bonus

Onsite parking

Job summary

Henderson Brown Recruitment is partnering with a leading food manufacturer to appoint a Technical Manager near Southampton, Hampshire. You will own the technical department, drive food safety, quality, legality, and compliance, and lead from the front across QA, process and production teams.

The role requires extensive HACCP knowledge, strong leadership and stakeholder management, with responsibility for audits, product launches, and lifecycle technical support.

Qualifications

• Proven Technical Management or Senior Quality leadership experience within a BRC-certified food manufacturing environment.
• Extensive knowledge of HACCP, allergen management, traceability, UK Food Law, retailer standards, and Quality Management Systems.
• Experience leading customer, retailer, and third-party audits, with a track record of continuous improvement and food safety excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's Technical, Quality Assurance, and Process teams, embedding a culture of food safety, quality excellence, and continuous improvement across the manufacturing operation.
• Own and continuously enhance the site's Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring full compliance with BRCGS, UK Food Law, customer Codes of Practice, and retailer standards.
• Chair and manage HACCP, TACCP, and VACCP programmes, overseeing allergen management, traceability, food defence, authenticity, hygiene, and foreign body prevention systems.
• Lead customer, retailer, third-party, and certification audits, driving audit readiness and implementing robust corrective and preventative actions.
• Act as the primary technical contact for customers, suppliers, and external stakeholders, leading technical reviews, product launches, complaint reduction initiatives, and first production approvals.
• Provide technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle, supporting NPD, process optimisation, risk assessments, factory trials, and continuous manufacturing improvements.
• Monitor and analyse Technical KPIs including customer complaints, audit performance, Right First Time, GMP compliance, supplier performance, and Cost of Quality, implementing data-driven improvement strategies.
• Develop, coach, and inspire the Technical and QA teams while collaborating with Production, Engineering, Procurement, and Commercial functions to deliver operational excellence and protect product integrity.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Job description

Henderson Brown Recruitment is partnering with a leading food manufacturer to appoint a Technical Manager near Southampton, Hampshire. You will own the technical department, drive food safety, quality, legality, and compliance, and lead from the front across QA, process and production teams.

The role requires extensive HACCP knowledge, strong leadership and stakeholder management, with responsibility for audits, product launches, and lifecycle technical support.