Factory Technical Manager in Liverpool

Lead the site Quality Assurance function and ensure all products, processes, and premises meet food safety, quality, legal, and customer standards. Own the site’s technical governance, HACCP systems, audit readiness, and continuous improvement agenda. Act as deputy to the Senior Technical Manager.

Dimensions

Reporting to the Senior Technical Manager, the Factory Technical Manager leads and manages a shift-based team covering the manufacturing operating hours and microbiological testing/reporting requirements. This role requires flexibility to support ad-hoc out of hours as needed. Senior Analysts cover the principal first line escalation for shift requirements working with a team of QA Analysts covering the site management along with Microbiologists conducting the product release assessment. This ensures the product is produced meeting the customer standards on product safety, legality and consistency requirements.

Internal contacts: group area operations leadership teams, Site technical & operations teams, Central group technical teams.

External contacts: EHO’s, Trading Standards, accreditation bodies, Retailers, NGO’s, 3rd Party Audit bodies, Suppliers, Trade bodies, external warehouses & service providers.

This role supports the Senior Technical Manager on all aspects of the technical function and will directly liaise with the above contacts as required. Travel within the UK and occasional overseas as required.

Principal Responsibilities

• HACCP, Food Safety & Risk Management: Lead, review and update all HACCP plans (process, product and procedures), ensuring compliance with CCPs and prerequisite programmes. Define process validation parameters for pasteurisation/sterilisation systems, including worst-case conditions, escalation protocols and technical requirements based on HACCP principles. Ensure robust HACCP risk assessments that drive right-first-time production. Lead annual validation and verification reviews for food safety systems. Facilitate assessment of factory practices against HACCP Management System requirements. Conduct and review CIP, hygiene, GMP and internal audits to verify food safety performance. Ensure strong systems for allergen, adulteration, nutritional, chemical and microbiological risk management. Lead site food safety, culture and integrity initiatives aligned with site strategy. Provide food safety leadership during crisis management, including non-conforming stock decisions and escalations.
• Quality Management Systems (QMS) & Audit Leadership: Drive and own the site’s Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with BRC, customer, certification and legislative requirements. Ensure the site is audit-ready at all times and lead internal, customer, 3rd party and EHO audits, from preparation through corrective action closure. Ensure QA teams maintain, review, audit and continuously improve QMS documentation and processes. Develop systems for compliance monitoring, data analysis and effective record keeping. Work with Group Technical to align site QMS to central policies and industry best practice. Lead food defence, food integrity and CCP governance across the site.
• Product Quality, Testing & Specification Compliance: Accountable for raw material, packaging and finished product assessment, processing and release. Lead block stock investigation, decision-making (release/reject) and associated corrective actions. Establish quality controls and practices for NPD launches, ongoing product quality and specification adherence. Define and manage external testing regimes for pack claim verification and product assurance. Manage authenticity, adulteration, allergenic, microbiological and chemical testing regimes across the product lifecycle. Oversee nutritional, authenticity and finished product quality assessment processes. Collaborate with QA and NPD teams to trend, monitor and improve product attribute quality.
• Process Control, Validation & Calibration: Define process controls and operating protocols for pasteurisation/sterilisation, including deviation handling. Establish site monitoring schedules for product, equipment and process verification. Ensure all quality and safety monitoring equipment is calibrated, verified and traceable to national standards. Work with OEMs and Engineering to maintain calibration activities and incorporate measurement uncertainty into operations. Lead laboratory measurement standards, analytical performance and monitoring programmes.
• Continuous Improvement & Performance Enhancement: Lead continuous improvement across food safety, GMP, quality and microbiology. Drive root cause analysis and ensure effective corrective and preventive action implementation. Lead focused improvement teams on complaints, compliance, HACCP fundamentals and product quality. Implement data trending, performance reviews and improvement actions across all quality systems. Encourage and track CI projects via QA & Microbiology teams.
• Leadership, Team Development & Culture: Lead, develop and support Senior Analysts, QA Analysts and Microbiologists, ensuring strong succession, coaching and professional development. Manage training, mentoring, workload organisation and performance management. Build strong engagement within technical and operational teams, promoting high standards in food safety, GMP and quality. Provide out-of-hours leadership support for quality and operational matters. Represent Technical at tier meetings with clear communication and action planning. Create high-performing teams with continuous improvement mindsets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Build strong relationships with Operations, Group Technical, retailers, suppliers, auditors and authorities. Liaise with Group Technical and other sites to share and implement best practice. Support investigations with Operations and Hygiene through sampling data, “Go Look & See”, and root cause analysis. Contribute to the site’s technical and quality strategy alongside the Senior Technical Manager.
• Laboratory & Microbiology Leadership: Lead laboratory teams responsible for microbiological, chemical and adulteration monitoring programmes. Ensure CLAS accreditation standards are met and maintained. Manage microbiologists in lab and factory analytical duties with a CI mindset. Ensure effective out-of-spec investigations, including out-of-hours support and escalation. Define testing regimes supporting authenticity, adulteration, allergen and microbiological governance requirements. Lead calibration, process validation and laboratory management systems to support nutritional, authenticity and quality assessment.
• Additional Governance & Site Responsibilities: Lead pest management activities, including contractor performance and site risk reviews. Ensure brand integrity, allergen management and product handling practices protect customer and site requirements. Conduct all required internal audits (CIP, GMP, hygiene, procedural and finished product). Support health & safety by ensuring compliance with all site policies and standards. Carry out reasonable additional tasks as required by line management.

Qualifications: Degree / Post Graduate level qualification in science or food technology (or equivalent experience). HACCP Level 4. Food Safety Level 4 or Food microbiological training. Lead auditor. IOSH or NEBOSH.

Knowledge: Experience of technical management at a senior level across different areas of food supply businesses (Site / Supplier / Customer). Experience of developing and managing high-performing teams. Experience of managing customer technical relationships within a UK retail customer-facing role. Technical expertise within a wide range of Food / Drinks manufacturing operations. Comprehensive knowledge of UK retailer codes of practice and how to implement these effectively within food manufacturing and supply businesses. Project Management skills. 3rd-party audit knowledge: BRC, IFS, Red Tractor, Soil Association, Claims such as: Organics, Gluten Free. Continuous Improvement. Food legislation / labelling. Chemistry. Thermal Processing. Accreditation bodies. Enforcement agencies. CIP. Experience of SAP QM.

Skills: QMS, BRC-accreditation. FMCG. ISO/Quality Systems. Consumer Care. Pest control. IT skills: Spreadsheets & data analysis, SAP.

Benefits: Cash Car Allowance. 25 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday off. 14.5% Pension – 5% employee opt-in / 9.5% employer. Flexible Holiday Option – Buy 5 Additional Days. Enhanced Family Friendly & Carers Policies. Life Assurance Cover. Private Medical Insurance. Critical Illness Cover. Learning & Development Opportunities.