At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to enhance reliability and asset performance in a cutting-edge food manufacturing site.
- Company: Join Avara Foods, a top UK food business with a focus on innovation and quality.
- Benefits: Enjoy a secure job, competitive pension, 31 days holiday, and private health cover.
- Other info: Comprehensive training and development opportunities available for career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while advancing your engineering career.
- Qualifications: HND in Engineering and experience in reliability or maintenance leadership required.
The predicted salary is between 47250 - 57750 £ per year.
About the Role:
Location: Hereford
Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00–16:30 (flexibility required to support 24/7 operations)
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Who are we, and what do we do?
Avara Foods is one of the UK’s leading food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to the country’s major supermarkets and well-known restaurants. We own and manage our entire supply chain — from farms to factory and all the way to the customer door — creating career opportunities across a wide range of functions. With major processing sites across England and Wales, our advanced Hereford facility is one of the most significant and technologically advanced food manufacturing sites in the UK.
Processing up to 2 million birds per week and employing over 1,500 talented people, the Hereford site continues to invest heavily in automation and innovation to maintain our reputation as a trusted leader in fresh food manufacturing.
Due to ongoing investment and growth at our Hereford site, we’re looking for an experienced and driven Lead of Reliability to join our Engineering Team. This is a key leadership role, responsible for driving reliability, asset performance, and long-term engineering excellence across the site. You’ll lead a small team of Reliability Engineers and work closely with the Engineering Reliability manager and the maintenance operations team, to deliver strategic reliability improvements and optimise asset lifecycle management. This role combines technical depth with leadership influence, ideal for someone ready to take the next step in their reliability or maintenance career.
What will you be doing as a Lead Reliability Engineer?
- Accountable for developing, implementing, and sustaining the site’s reliability strategy to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), reduce downtime, and enhance asset care.
- Ensure that maintenance and reliability practices are aligned with site priorities and engineering KPIs, supporting operational excellence through data-driven decisions and proactive engineering leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and manage the Reliability Team, ensuring effective delivery of asset performance, maintenance planning, and reliability projects.
- Act as lead for reliability and asset care, championing continuous improvement across site.
- Develop and sustain proactive maintenance strategies, including predictive and condition-based maintenance, to improve equipment availability and reduce unplanned downtime.
- Analyse performance and downtime data to identify and eliminate root causes of equipment failure.
- Collaborate with the wider Engineer Team to coordinate planned maintenance, improvement activities, and engineering support during production.
- Support the Engineering Reliability Manager in the development and execution of the site’s maintenance and reliability roadmap.
- Maintain the office, reliability- and outside areas to high standard, ensuring regular checks are conducted and satisfactory feedback is received from GMP/WPW audits.
- Lead cross-functional reliability reviews, ensuring effective communication between Engineering, Operations, Planning, and technical teams.
- Manage contractor and OEM support, ensuring all work complies with site safety, technical, and legislative standards.
- Ensure all rectification actions identified on service reports are followed up and completed in a timely manner.
- Identify the training needs of the team in order to coach, train and develop the team to provide the opportunities to develop to their potential.
- Oversee asset care documentation, including PM reviews, calibration schedules, and PUWER assessments.
- Lead or support capital and improvement projects, ensuring reliability principles are built into design and implementation.
What you’ll need to be successful:
Essential:
- HND or above in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or related discipline)
- Proven experience in reliability, maintenance, or engineering leadership in an FMCG or manufacturing environment
- Strong understanding of maintenance systems (CMMS), asset management, and performance metrics (OEE, MTBF, MTTR)
- Demonstrable leadership, coaching, and influencing skills
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication abilities
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across teams
Desirable:
- Experience leading engineering teams or projects in a large-scale manufacturing site
- Reliability tools knowledge (RCM, FMEA, TPM)
- NEBOSH or IOSH qualification
- CAD experience and contractor management exposure
The benefits of working for Avara Foods:
As a Lead Reliability Engineer, you’ll enjoy a secure, supportive, and progressive working environment where your contribution and achievements are recognised and rewarded. We offer comprehensive training and continuous professional development as you build your long-term career with us. You can also look forward to benefits including:
- 6% Pension
- 31 Days Holiday
- Life Assurance
- Private Medical Health Cover
- Subsidised Canteen
- Free Staff Parking
- Wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including discounts with major retailers and access to health resources
Due to Bird Welfare, it is essential that you do not own any Avian Pets, Poultry, or Porcine. We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
Lead Reliability Engineer in Hereford employer: AVARA FOODS LIMITED
Avara Foods is an exceptional employer that prioritises the growth and well-being of its employees, offering a secure and supportive environment at our Banbury site. As a Multi-Skilled Maintenance Engineer, you will benefit from comprehensive training, a competitive salary of up to £50,000, and a range of perks including a generous holiday allowance, pension contributions, and access to an extensive Employee Benefit Scheme. Our inclusive work culture fosters collaboration and innovation, ensuring that your contributions are recognised and rewarded as you advance in your engineering career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Reliability Engineer in Hereford
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We think you need these skills to ace Lead Reliability Engineer in Hereford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Skills:In the manufacturing-production sector, it's crucial to highlight your technical skills and experience. Make sure your CV features any relevant qualifications, such as certifications in machinery operation or production management, and don’t forget about any specific systems or software you’re familiar with. This can really set you apart!
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Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Company:Don’t just recycle an old cover letter! Take the time to tailor your cover letter to AVARA FOODS LIMITED specifically. Mention what excites you about their production processes or products, and how your previous experiences can contribute to their goals. We want to see your enthusiasm for the role!
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How to prepare for a job interview at AVARA FOODS LIMITED
✨Know Your Manufacturing Processes
Before you walk into the interview with AVARA FOODS LIMITED, brush up on the specific manufacturing processes relevant to the role. Understanding lean manufacturing principles or quality control techniques could give you a solid edge to discuss how you’d fit into their operations.
✨Technical Questions Are Key
Be prepared for technical questions around machinery, production scheduling, or materials handling. Make sure you can confidently explain how you've dealt with these in past experiences or internships. Knowing industry-specific software could also be a big plus!
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Manufacturing environments often focus on continuous improvement. Be ready to discuss specific instances where you’ve solved a production issue or implemented a process improvement. It’s all about demonstrating your analytical thinking and hands-on approach.
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