Technical Manager

Position Overview Job title: Technical Manager Company: Ornua Location: Foods UK, Leek Salary: Generous salary depending on experience Hours: 36.25 hours per week Benefits: Matched pension scheme up to 8% Generous holiday allowance increasing with length of service Subsidised staff canteen Company shop offering discounts on Ornua products Sports & Social Club Staff Lottery Discount on Bikes & Tech Scheme Confidential Employee Assist Programme Free onsite parking Ornua (meaning “new gold”) is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, proudly bringing the unique taste of Irish dairy to the world for over 55 years. We are looking for a passionate, energetic and motivated Technical Specialist ready to help lead a mission‑driven organisation to its next level of success. As a collaborative, agile and transformative people leader you will guide technical colleagues to success within our growing technical department. The Technical Manager will play a key role in providing a professional “Best in Class” Technical function by managing technical aspects of the operation on a day‑to‑day basis and owning all products and product improvements for relevant customer groups. This includes maintaining, developing and continuously improving all aspects of quality management systems (HACCP) on‑site. Your role is instrumental to our aim of becoming the industry leader in technical standards for our chosen categories. Responsibilities Effective management of the activities and professional development of the Quality Assurance and Supplier Assurance teams to ensure best practice is achieved consistently in a timely manner. Manage the site Quality Management System (FSQMS) ensuring compliance with legislation, customer codes of practice, BRC versions and group technical codes of practice & guidelines. Through the QA team, ensure that site technical & quality standards are maintained at all times. Working closely with Operations & Engineering, manage non‑conformances and trending data on site leading to timely & effective resolution (i.e., Micro & chemical, pest control & factory standards). Work collaboratively to reduce the incidents of customer complaints to within budgeted targets. Maintain & review all FSQMS (including HACCP) documentation to ensure relevant critical systems (including CCPs) are included in factory SOPs & product specifications. Maintain compliance with technical KPI targets. Actively participate and lead in Food Safety, BRC & customer audits as required. Managing and maintain the external laboratory, managing the relationships ensuring satisfactory service is provided within budgetary costs. Work with hygiene functions to improve cleaning processes and resolve any issues. Drive Food Safety and Quality improvement through on‑site initiatives to improve site objectives and work with the supply base to implement and drive supplier performance improvements. Manage various aspects of Technical including Quality Assurance, Supplier Assurance along with knowledge of working with hygiene teams and systems. In conjunction with the Technical Controller develop the site Technical Systems to exceed industry technical standards and drive continuous improvement through the site systems. Support the delivery of HACCP across all activities, driving food safety & product quality and legality at all times. Deputise for the Technical Controller in their absence. Qualifications Experience in chilled food manufacture in the UK retail environment & management of quality systems. Computer literate with good working knowledge of Microsoft applications. HACCP trained to level 3 or above. Good standard of written and oral communication. Interview Process The interview process is designed to be thorough yet supportive. It includes a first stage via Teams to allow us to get to know you better and to understand your skills and experiences, and, if successful, a second stage face‑to‑face interview that will build upon the first stage and give you the opportunity to get a feel for Ornua and the environment in which you will be working. Ornua has ambitious growth plans and we’re building a team to help enable and accelerate that growth. We are looking for people who share our values, are curious, forward‑looking, take ownership and work together to build a future for themselves and Ornua. Would you like to make an impact? EEO Statement Ornua values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We also strongly encourage women and other underrepresented groups in the manufacturing industry to apply. Your unique perspectives and experiences are highly valued and will be instrumental in driving our company’s continued success. Join us in shaping a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable future. #J-18808-Ljbffr