At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead food safety and quality initiatives while managing technical teams and compliance.
- Company: Join a leading FMCG company with a strong focus on quality and safety.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a fast-paced, collaborative setting.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in food safety and quality management at a respected organisation.
- Qualifications: Degree in Food Science and 10 years' experience in FMCG required.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
The Site Technical Manager will lead and champion a strong food safety and quality culture across the site, ensuring standards are embedded across both technical and operational teams. You will be accountable for ensuring compliance with customer, retailer, and certification requirements, while supporting the delivery of customer, brand, and business objectives. This role sits as part of the site leadership team and works closely with operations, commercial, and central technical functions.
Key responsibilities
- Leadership and management
- Lead and promote cross-functional ownership of food safety and quality across the site
- Provide clear leadership and direction to the technical function
- Contribute to site technical strategy, vision, and continuous improvement
- Lead technical response during product incidents and recalls
- Act as a member of the site senior leadership team and technical leadership forum
- Lead and maintain HACCP systems, including review and evolution
- Coach, mentor, and develop technical capability across the site
- Standards and compliance
- Drive a risk-based approach to food safety management
- Ensure compliance with customer policies, retailer codes of practice, and external certifications
- Set, embed, and validate GMP and factory standards through training and audit
- Manage the internal audit programme to drive improvements in standards and quality
- Ensure effective management of incidents, recalls, and traceability
- Lead data-driven investigations with clear root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions
- Maintain and challenge prerequisite programmes
- Own and maintain the QMS and food safety systems in line with BRC and retailer standards
- Lead day-to-day management of BRC and retailer audits, including close-out of non-conformances
- Support and challenge co-packers to meet accreditation and customer requirements
- Manage external laboratory testing programmes for raw materials and products
- Oversee allergen management, risk assessment, verification, and validation
- Manage site hygiene standards, GMP audits, non-conformances, and concessions
- Ensure effective investigation, communication, and reporting of customer complaints
- Validate and verify shelf-life parameters for new and existing products
- Quality systems and KPIs
- Measure, trend, and report performance against internal and customer KPIs
- Ensure the QMS evolves in line with customer requirements, industry standards, and technical developments
- Customer and stakeholder management
- Lead all technical aspects of customer visits and audits
- Build strong, collaborative relationships with customers
- Develop and deliver robust customer quality plans
- Ensure customer complaints and technical queries are managed effectively
- Work closely with commercial and operational teams to manage customer requests
About you
Qualifications and experience
- Degree or equivalent in Food Science or a related discipline
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in FMCG or a similar manufacturing environment
- Strong experience leading technical teams
- HACCP Level 3
- Experience working with retailer quality systems
- BRC audit and compliance experience
- Project management experience
Skills and personal qualities
- A credible and confident people leader
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Strong relationship-building capability
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail
- Solutions-focused with strong problem-solving skills
- Passionate about developing people and building capability
- Up-to-date knowledge of food safety, quality, and consumer trends
- Resilient, driven, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment
If this sounds like the right fit for your next career move, I’d love to speak with you!
Interim Technical Manager in Bowthorpe employer: The Advocate Group
As an Interim Technical Manager at our Norwich site, you will join a dynamic team that prioritises food safety and quality, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. We offer a collaborative work environment where your leadership will directly impact our operational success, alongside opportunities for professional growth and development in the fast-paced FMCG sector. With a commitment to employee well-being and a focus on innovation, we ensure that our team members are equipped with the skills and support needed to thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Interim Technical Manager in Bowthorpe
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the food safety and quality sector. You never know who might have a lead on an interim role or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your HACCP knowledge and BRC standards. Be ready to discuss how you've led technical teams and managed compliance in past roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! During interviews, share specific examples of how you've built strong relationships with customers and driven a culture of food safety and quality.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Interim Technical Manager in Bowthorpe
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the key responsibilities and skills mentioned in the job description. Highlight your experience in food safety, quality management, and leadership to show us you’re the perfect fit for the Interim Technical Manager role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about food safety and quality. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or improved processes in previous roles, and connect those experiences to what we’re looking for in this position.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your duties; showcase your achievements! Use metrics and data to demonstrate how you’ve driven improvements in standards and compliance in past roles. This will help us see the impact you can make at StudySmarter.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re proactive and keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Advocate Group
✨Know Your Food Safety Standards
Make sure you brush up on the latest food safety regulations and standards, especially HACCP and BRC. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you're not just familiar with them but can also lead their implementation effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led technical teams in the past. Think about specific situations where you promoted a strong quality culture or managed a crisis. This will demonstrate your capability to lead and inspire others.
✨Understand the Business Objectives
Familiarise yourself with the company's goals and how the Site Technical Manager role contributes to them. Be ready to discuss how you can align technical strategies with business objectives, showcasing your understanding of both technical and commercial aspects.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that require you to think on your feet, such as how you'd handle a product recall or manage a non-conformance during an audit. Practising these scenarios will help you articulate your problem-solving skills and decision-making process clearly.
