Technical Services Manager

The Sterling Choice; Manchester; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer in Manchester is seeking a Technical Services Manager to lead compliance and quality initiatives. You will manage a team, maintain the Quality Management System, and ensure compliance with food safety standards. The role offers a competitive salary and a supportive work environment, ideal for someone who thrives on audits and enjoys leading improvement efforts.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Work/life balance with early finish Fridays

Supportive leadership team

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading and motivating a technical team.
• Strong understanding of Quality Management Systems.
• Ability to manage complaints and internal audits.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve the site's Quality Management System.
• Lead the Technical Services team focusing on improvement.
• Manage internal audits and compliance activities.

Skills

Experience leading and motivating a team

Attention to detail

Sense of humour

Education

Qualified Internal Auditor status

HACCP Level 3

Food Safety Level 3

Job description

Right, let's get straight to it.

This isn't a “clipboard and checklists” kind of Technical Services Manager job. It's for someone who can actually lead - not just sit in the office polishing audit reports and occasionally reminding people to wear a hairnet.

You’ll be the one keeping the site's Quality Management System in shape and not just on paper. Legislation changes, customer codes evolve, and audits never stop coming. You’ll be the calm in the storm, keeping things compliant, up to date, and audit ready (because, let’s face it, no one likes a last-minute panic clean).

You’ll manage complaints, lab samples, exports, internal audits, traceability exercises - the whole technical circus. You’ll also be the person everyone turns to when they want to know if something is “okay to run,” “okay to send,” or “okay to show the customer.” Spoiler: it’s rarely all three.

And because this site actually believes in developing people, you’ll lead and inspire a Technical Services team that wants to get better - not one that hides when they see you coming. There’s a real chance here to shape a team, drive improvement, and put your stamp on how Technical is done.

What you’ll need:

• Experience leading and motivating a team (you’ll need to do both)
• A solid handle on QMS, HACCP Level 3, and Food Safety Level 3
• Qualified Internal Auditor status
• Attention to detail and a “right first time” attitude
• A sense of humour wouldn’t hurt either - you’ll need it in food manufacturing

The deal:

You’ll get a competitive salary, a half-decent work/life balance (hello, early finish Fridays), and a supportive leadership team that values doing things properly.

If you’re the sort who thrives on audits, loves a good trend analysis, and can handle the odd “urgent” email that isn’t actually urgent, then you might just fit in.