Technical Manager

Position: Technical Manager

Reporting to: Operations Director

Working hours: 40 hours per week Monday to Friday

Location: Kent

Salary: C. 55k DOE

Role Overview

This organisation operates within the specialist food supply sector working closely with a diverse network of producers customers and internal teams. The business places a strong emphasis on product quality safety and regulatory compliance across a broad portfolio supplied to retail independent and foodservice channels.

The Technical Manager plays a critical leadership role with responsibility for overseeing food safety quality legality and integrity across the business. The position acts as the central technical authority ensuring that products processes and suppliers meet all relevant legal standards certification requirements and customer expectations.

As a senior member of the management team the role is accountable for setting technical direction embedding a strong food safety and quality culture driving continuous improvement and maintaining effective relationships with customers suppliers auditors and internal stakeholders.

The Technical Manager leads and develops a team of technologists ensuring that technical activities support commercial objectives while maintaining the highest standards of compliance and best practice.

Key Responsibilities:

Food Safety Quality & Compliance

• Maintain and improve performance against recognised food safety and ethical standards including third-party and customer audits

• Lead food safety quality authenticity and risk management activities including the development and maintenance of policies procedures and work instructions

• Own and manage HACCP systems food defence and vulnerability assessments

• Ensure ongoing compliance with relevant legislation standards and customer codes of practice

• Monitor emerging regulatory and customer requirements and ensure timely implementation

Supplier & Product Assurance

• Manage supplier and raw material approval processes including risk assessments and on-site audits where required

• Ensure own-label and branded products meet defined technical specifications and audit requirements

• Support suppliers in driving continuous improvement in quality and food safety performance

• Conduct audits of non-certified suppliers in line with internal schedules

Audit & Customer Interface

• Lead preparation for internal external customer and supplier audits and technical visits

• Act as the primary technical contact for customers responding to queries managing technical systems and providing accurate information

• Maintain customer-facing technical data via relevant online platforms

New Product & Change Management

• Oversee technical delivery within new product development and product change processes

• Ensure specifications artwork and approvals are completed accurately and on time

• Work cross-functionally to manage technical risk during product launches and changes

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead and develop the technical and quality team setting clear objectives and fostering capability growth

• Review and improve internal systems to enhance efficiency effectiveness and compliance

• Develop and maintain internal audit programmes and participate in audits

• Analyse technical KPIs and trends providing insight to support operational and strategic decision-making

• Champion a right-first-time continuous improvement mindset across the business

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with operations supply chain engineering and commercial teams to ensure safe compliant and high-quality products

• Communicate current and potential supply or compliance risks clearly and proactively

Travel

• Travel within the UK and internationally as required including occasional overnight stays

Knowledge Skills & Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a senior technical or quality role within the food industry

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Food Science or a related discipline

• Strong working knowledge of food safety standards auditing and quality management systems

• Experience of HACCP leadership and risk-based decision-making

• Confident communicator with strong written and verbal skills

• High level of accuracy and attention to detail

• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and build effective working relationships

• Competent user of Microsoft Office and technical data systems

• Full UK driving licence

• Willingness to travel

Desirable

• Experience working with retail and customer-specific technical standards

• Lead auditor qualification

• Commercial awareness and ability to balance technical risk with business needs

Personal Attributes

• Proactive and solutions-focused

• Strong organisational and time-management skills

• Analytical with sound judgement and decision-making ability

• Flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced environment

• Confident leader who promotes a positive food safety culture

• Collaborative team player with a can-do attitude

If this role would be of interest to you please send your CV over to or call 0.