Technical Manager in Coventry

Our client is seeking an experienced Technical Manager to lead and continuously develop site-wide technical standards and ways of working within a food manufacturing environment. This role is critical in establishing and maintaining GMP and ensuring full compliance with all legislative, regulatory and customer requirements.

The successful candidate will act as a key interface between internal teams, customers and external regulatory bodies, ensuring the highest levels of product safety, quality and consumer confidence. The role carries responsibility for the ongoing development and performance of the Quality Assurance, Specification Technologists and Hygiene functions.

The Technical Manager holds overall accountability for food safety, quality compliance and microbiological standards across the site. They will ensure that all products released are safe, legal and fit for purpose, managing relationships with external laboratories and service providers as required.

The role involves regular interaction with external authorities and accrediting bodies, including Environmental Health Officers (EHO), Trading Standards and third-party certification bodies.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring all manufacturing activities comply with statutory, customer and consumer requirements
• Driving continuous improvement in technical performance, particularly in GMP and food safety standards
• Embedding best practice technical systems and behaviours across the site
• Supporting the Operations Manager with a predictive and proactive approach to quality, GMP and hygiene performance
• Contributing as a senior member of the site leadership team, including supporting the successful start-up or scale-up of operations and securing relevant site approvals (e.g. EHO, BRC, retailer codes of practice)
• Ensuring full compliance with food safety legislation while maintaining high standards of health and safety

This role is pivotal in balancing commercial objectives with regulatory compliance and consumer protection, acting as the technical conscience of the site.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required:

• Degree qualified in Food Science or a related discipline
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a food manufacturing environment
• Qualified and experienced HACCP practitioner and systems auditor
• Proven experience developing and implementing food safety and quality management systems
• Strong leadership capability with a track record of delivering technical training and development programmes
• Excellent communication and people management skills
• Ability to influence at all levels and perform effectively under pressure
• Experience applying lean or continuous improvement methodologies

Principal Accountabilities:

• Overall accountability for site-wide quality and technical compliance
• Monitoring and controlling QA performance, ensuring effective corrective and preventative actions
• Ensuring product quality consistently meets customer and consumer expectations
• Working collaboratively with operational teams to drive quality ownership and compliance
• Acting as a key interface with customers, auditors and regulatory authorities
• Reviewing analytical and microbiological performance data and implementing improvement actions
• Leading the investigation and resolution of consumer complaints, ensuring a consumer-first mindset
• Ensuring quality systems are fully integrated into day-to-day operations and support continuous improvement
• Implementing and maintaining technical and QA best practice standards
• Defining skills and competency requirements for technical roles and managing training needs analysis and development plans
• Keeping the site fully up to date with legislative and regulatory changes
• Acting as the principal point of contact for third-party bodies (e.g. EHO, FSA, BRC auditors) and key customers

Benefits & Hours of work:

• Competitive salary up to £60,000 (dependent on experience)
• Monday to Friday working pattern with flexible hours
• 23 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Free on-site parking
• Discounted and complimentary meals
• Pension scheme
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities

Unfortunately, due to time restrictions we cannot respond to every applicant. In the event that we haven’t contacted you within 48 hours please take it you have not been successful for this particular role, but your details will be kept on file and considered for all future vacancies.

We are an equal opportunities agency and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

We are acting on behalf of the client as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED JOB, ANY CANDIDATES WHO REQUIRE SPONSORSHIP OR ON A PSW WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.