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 leading UK food business with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a secure job with 31 days holiday, private health cover, and a 6% pension.
- Other info: Opportunities for professional development and a supportive workplace culture.
- 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 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
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.
About the Role
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.
What will you be doing as a Lead Reliability Engineer?
As the Lead Reliability Engineer, you will be accountable for developing, implementing, and sustaining the site’s reliability strategy to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), reduce downtime, and enhance asset care. You’ll 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 Engineering 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 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
What happens after you apply?
After you’ve applied, you’ll be contacted by a member of our Resourcing Team based at our Hereford site to discuss your application and CV further. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask any questions about the role and what it’s like to work with us. If you’re ready to lead reliability excellence in one of the UK’s most advanced food manufacturing sites, apply today!
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 Ltd
Avara Foods is an exceptional employer, offering a secure and progressive working environment at our advanced Hereford facility, where innovation and automation are at the forefront of food manufacturing. Employees benefit from comprehensive training, continuous professional development, and a range of perks including a generous pension scheme, private medical cover, and wellbeing resources, all while contributing to a company that values their achievements and fosters career growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Reliability Engineer in Hereford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Avara Foods on LinkedIn or through mutual connections. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Lead Reliability Engineer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical knowledge and leadership skills. Be ready to discuss how you've driven reliability improvements in past roles, as this will show you're the right fit for the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving abilities! During interviews, share specific examples of how you've tackled challenges in maintenance or engineering. This will demonstrate your analytical skills and readiness for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining Avara Foods.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Reliability Engineer in Hereford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Lead Reliability Engineer role. Highlight your leadership experience and any relevant engineering qualifications to catch our eye!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about reliability engineering and how your background makes you the perfect fit for our team at Avara Foods.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific achievements that demonstrate your impact in previous roles. Numbers and results speak volumes, so let us know how you’ve improved asset performance or reduced downtime!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to the right people and shows your enthusiasm for joining our team at Avara Foods!
How to prepare for a job interview at Avara Foods Ltd
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your engineering principles, especially around reliability and maintenance systems. Familiarise yourself with key metrics like OEE, MTBF, and MTTR, as these will likely come up in conversation.
✨Show Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or projects in the past. Highlight your coaching and influencing abilities, as this role requires strong leadership to drive reliability improvements across the site.
✨Be Data-Driven
Since the role involves analysing performance and downtime data, be ready to discuss how you've used data to identify root causes of equipment failure and implement solutions. Bring specific examples to the table!
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the company's reliability strategy and how they measure success. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you understand if it's the right fit for you.
