Technical Manager - Pet Food Manufacturing

Inspired Pet Nutrition Ltd; Kinmel Bay; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus 15%

Enhanced pension & life assurance

People and Pets First benefits (bring狗

Private Medical Insurance

Retail and gym discounts

Free onsite parking

Job summary

Inspired Pet Nutrition Ltd in Kinmel Bay, North Wales is seeking a Technical Manager to lead the site's Technical and Quality team, ensuring all products are safe, compliant, and meet customer standards. This is a site-based, permanent role reporting to the site leadership with responsibility for external audits and continuous improvement.

You will drive QMS, implement HACCP and BRCGS, support NPD with safety and quality, manage relationships with customers and auditors, and lead risk-based

Qualifications

• Degree in food science or related field required or equivalent experience.
• Genuine HACCP knowledge (Level 4) and Health & Safety awareness (Level 2).
• Experience leading a technical or quality team in food manufacturing.
• Experience with BRCGS and internal audit management.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the site's Technical and Quality team.
• Represent Technical on the site leadership team for strategic decisions.
• Act as technical lead during audits and business reviews with customers.
• Maintain and improve the QMS to stay audit-ready and compliant.
• Ensure food safety governance including HACCP, BRCGS, and customer audits.
• Support NPD to meet safety and quality requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

People development

Education

Degree in food science/related

Level 4 HACCP

Level 2 Health and Safety

Job description

Technical Manager

Kinmel Bay, North Wales | Permanent | Site-based | Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours

We're excited to be recruiting for a Technical Manager to join our team at Kinmel. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced food technical leader, perfect for someone passionate about food safety, quality and building a strong technical culture.

You'll be responsible for leading and developing the site's Technical and Quality team, making sure everything we make is authentic, safe and meets legal, quality and customer standards. As part of the site leadership team, you'll lead the site through external audits and deliver a year-on-year reduction in customer non-conformances.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the site's Technical and Quality team, so everyone is safe, engaged and clear on their objectives.


• Represent Technical on the site leadership team, contributing to strategic and operational decisions, continuous improvement and business continuity.


• Act as the site's technical lead with customers during site visits, external audits and business reviews.


• Manage and maintain the site's Quality Management System (QMS), keeping it effective, up to date and aligned with group standards.


• Make sure food safety and quality governance, including HACCP, BRCGS and customer audits, keeps the site compliant and audit-ready.


• Build a culture of proactive problem-solving and root cause analysis, with right-first-time quality, open communication and recognition of technical excellence.


• Support the New Product Development (NPD) team with new product introductions, making sure they meet legal food safety and internal quality requirements.


• Develop robust technical data, reporting and horizon scanning to support evidence-based decisions and plan for emerging risks.


• Maintain hygiene standards across production, storage and ancillary areas.


• Manage the site Technical budget, including labour and agreed capital projects.

About you

• A degree in food science, food technology, microbiology or a related subject, or equivalent experience.


• Level 4 HACCP and Level 2 Health and Safety.


• Experience of leading a technical or quality team in food manufacturing.


• Experience of BRCGS audit standards and internal audit management.


• Knowledge of food labelling legislation, writing specifications and web-based customer specification systems.


• Clear communication and the confidence to build strong relationships with customers, colleagues and auditors.

Don't meet every point? Some of these can be trained or developed, so we'd still love to hear from you.

At INSPIRED, we want to inspire colleagues to join, stay, develop, and achieve, creating an inclusive and sustainable business fit for growth. One of the enablers of achieving this, is to offer competitive pay and benefits to all colleagues.

Our Total Reward Benefits include:

• Annual bonus 15%, related to personal and company performance


• Enhanced pension, life assurance, and enhanced maternity, paternity, sick pay, and holiday buy options


• People and Pets First benefits, including paw-reavement and paw-ternity leave and bring your dog to work


• Healthcare cashback plan and Hertility at-home fertility testing and Private Medical Insurance


• Heavily discounted pet food and lifestyle benefits (Netflix, Spotify, or breakdown cover)


• Retail and gym discounts, electric car scheme, and free onsite parking and electric car charging


• Onsite canteen, free hot drinks, and modern facilities

See all our INSPIRED benefits here

Inspired Benefits Book

About us

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is an innovative, well-established, and award-winning pet food manufacturer employing over 1,200 colleagues across the UK and Europe. Our family of brands includes Harringtons, Wagg, Barking Heads & Meowing Heads, AATU, Blink, Butcher's, Classic, Pro-Nutrition, and Ultra Premium Direct, along with a number of partner brands that trust us to produce food on their behalf. Our kitchens in Thirsk, Kinmel, and Crick produce a wide range of dry, wet, and baked foods enjoyed by dogs and cats all over the world. Our ambition is simple: to become a global leader in pet nutrition.

Our Purpose: To create happiness

We're on a mission to set a new standard of workplace happiness within the pet nutrition industry-one that looks like no other and feels like no other. Our culture is built on INSPIRED's unique behaviours and colleague experience, creating an environment that excites, empowers, and puts people and pets at the heart of everything we do.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the colleagues and communities we serve. We believe everyone should feel valued, respected and able to be themselves at work.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We make hiring decisions based on talent, potential and the experience you bring.

We are also committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace, ensuring equitable access and opportunity for all. If you need any adjustments or support to take part in our recruitment process, please let us know by emailing [e-mail]

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