Site Engineering Manager in Harrogate

JOB LOCATION: Harrogate

Shepley Spring are the UK’s leading bottled water manufacturer with over 20 years’ experience in production and are proud to remain a family run business to this day. The company operates in three manufacturing facilities in Yorkshire and owns several high-speed production lines with the capabilities of producing both still and sparkling water servicing leading retailers such as Morrisons, Lidl, Booker Tesco and Sainsbury through private label and produces the brands Ice Valley® and White Rock® exclusively.

Summary

The Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the site engineering function to ensure the reliable, safe, and efficient operation of all production and utility equipment. This role oversees maintenance strategy, engineering teams, continuous improvement, and capital projects, driving performance in safety, quality, cost, and downtime reduction across the site.

Key Responsibilities

• Engineering & Maintenance Leadership: Lead, manage, and develop the site engineering team, including multi-skilled engineers and contractors. Set clear objectives, manage performance, and support training and skills development. Ensure effective shift cover and resource planning to support a 24/7 operation.
• Preventative and Reactive Maintenance: Own and continuously improve the site’s preventative maintenance strategy. Ensure prompt and effective response to breakdowns, minimising downtime and production impact. Drive root cause analysis and long-term corrective actions for recurring issues.
• Equipment, Assets & Projects: Oversee installation, commissioning, and upgrading of new equipment and production lines. Lead capital projects, working with suppliers, OEMs, and contractors to deliver on time and within budget. Ensure all equipment is maintained to appropriate standards of safety, performance, and compliance.
• Health, Safety & Food Safety Compliance: Ensure full compliance with health & safety, food safety, and engineering standards and legislation. Lead risk assessments, method statements, and safe systems of work within engineering. Promote a strong safety culture across the engineering and wider site teams. Drive improvements in equipment reliability, efficiency, and maintenance effectiveness. Work closely with Production and Quality teams to improve OEE, reduce waste, and improve line performance. Implement best practice maintenance systems and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Documentation, Systems & Reporting: Ensure accurate maintenance records, asset registers, and schedules are maintained (CMMS). Manage engineering KPIs, budgets, spares, and contractor costs. Provide regular performance and project updates to senior management.
• Parts, Spares & Contractors: Oversee spares strategy and stock control to balance availability and cost. Manage external contractors and service providers, ensuring quality, safety, and value for money.

Competencies / Experience

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, or related).
• Proven experience in an engineering management or senior engineering role within FMCG / food & beverage manufacturing.
• Strong multi-skilled engineering background (mechanical & electrical).
• Experience with automated production lines, PLCs, and high-speed manufacturing equipment.
• Strong knowledge of health & safety legislation, food safety standards (e.g. HACCP, GMP), and compliance.
• Experience managing teams, budgets, projects, and contractors.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Data-driven, organised, and improvement-focused mindset.

Mission Statement

As a family-owned company, our priority is the health of our team members, our communities and our environment. Shepley Spring is committed to responsible resource usage and integrating sustainability into every aspect of our business. We have an obligation to not only drive aquifer preservation and sustainable withdrawals, energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and waste reduction, but also to continuously innovate to reduce our carbon footprint. We firmly believe in continuing to grow and improving in each of these areas to make Shepley Spring the best water supplier, community partner and employer that we can be.