Manufacturing Technical Manager

About Deliciously Ella

Deliciously Ella's mission is to help people eat real food again, with more plants, more of the time. We are growing fast and we're looking for talented, passionate, purpose-led people who share in our mission to help us get there.
 Every day, we work to cultivate positive change, sharing delicious, natural, plant-based recipes and food products with the aim of building the world's leading plant-based platform.  Starting from a recipe website, the business has evolved into a restaurant, a range of plant-based food products, an app, a collection of bestselling recipe books and a growing social media community that sits at the heart of what we do.
 We launched our first food products in 2016 and have since launched a wide range of products across different categories. We work with all the major grocers and OOH retailers across the UK. We also have a growing international business in the US and Europe. 
 Take a look at our website to read more about our story.
 
 Working at Deliciously Ella
 We have around 75 team members across two sites. Our factory site near Milton Keynes produces some of our best-loved products like our energy balls, caramel cups, nut butter bites and dipped nuts.  Our Head Office is in the heart of central London, on Tottenham Court Road, and this is where our Leadership Team works, alongside our Commercial, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing and People teams.

What you will bring (skills and experience)

• Degree (or equivalent) in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, or a related discipline
• HACCP Level 3 (or equivalent advanced food safety qualification).
• Food Safety & Hygiene Level 3 or equivalent certification.
• Internal Auditing qualification 
• Allergen management and TACCP/VACCP training desirable.
• Proven experience in a technical or quality management role within food manufacturing.
• Demonstrable experience of managing BRCGS certification and leading third-party, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Strong background in HACCP development, validation, and verification.
• Experience in supplier approval, specification management, and labelling compliance.
• Experience supporting NPD processes with technical and regulatory input.
• Leadership experience with a track record of developing high-performing technical and quality teams.
• Practical experience with root cause analysis, continuous improvement, and customer complaint management.
• A good and practicable experience in process design / development would be advantageous

What we offer

You will have the opportunity to be part of a mission driven scale up business at a hugely exciting point in our growth trajectory, where your voice is heard and where you're able to actively input in the strategic direction of our business.  Some great perks in working for Deliciously Ella include:   

• A competitive salary
• Free Deliciously Ella App Access for you and five friends and family 
• Performance based annual bonus scheme of up to 10% of your base salary
• Contributory pension scheme with the People's Pension
• 25 days holiday plus an extra day off for your birthday and an additional day after 5 years of service
• Health insurance through Vitality
• Bike2Work scheme
• Unlimited free snacks
• Twice-yearly team events
• Enhanced maternity leave (16 weeks full pay) and paternity leave (4 weeks full pay)
• Up to 8 days per year study leave for job relevant qualifications

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion 
At Deliciously Ella we are committed to cultivating and maintaining a culture that is inclusive and diverse.  We celebrate differences and continually support all team members to be proud of who they are.  We pride ourselves on equal employment opportunity regardless of gender, sex, age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or social class.  We hire the best people based on an evaluation of their abilities and effectiveness, nothing else.What are we looking for?What we expect from you (behaviours & values)

We believe our team members are what make our business special, and we hire extraordinary people to fulfil our extraordinary mission.   We strive for high performance and our values guide the way we work each day:  

• Proud - We act in ways that make our families, colleagues and community proud
• Think big - We think big, constantly searching for ways to grow our business
• Embrace challenges - We embrace challenges head on and enjoy problem solving
• Guardians - We're guardians of our brand and the values it holds
• Welcome change - We thrive on change, and use it as an opportunity to innovate, learn, and grow

Purpose of the role

Responsible for the day-to-day management and leadership of the site's Technical and Quality functions, ensuring all products meet food safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

Quality & Food Safety Management

• Maintain and continually improve site certification to BRCGS standards.
• Ensure effective Quality Management Systems (QMS) are implemented, reviewed annually (or as required by legislative or business changes), and adhered to across the site.
• Maintain robust HACCP systems, ensuring CCP monitoring, verification, and corrective actions are effectively managed.
• Oversee traceability systems, ensuring they are effective, validated, and compliant.
• Maintain and audit product quality standards against customer specifications and reference samples.
• Investigate and resolve non-conformances, customer complaints, and quality or safety issues through root cause analysis and corrective actions.

Audit & Compliance

• Lead and manage all site audits – internal, external, customer, and regulatory.
• Ensure the site remains compliant with current and upcoming legislation, including food safety, hygiene, and labelling requirements.
• Implement and maintain a robust internal auditing programme, ensuring issues are recorded, actioned, and verified.
• Manage technical aspects of supplier approval at site level.

Team Leadership & Development

• Ensure the Technical and Quality teams are fully resourced, trained, and understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Deliver regular team briefings on site performance, key issues, KPIs, and upcoming activities.
• Work with stakeholders to maintain a food safety and quality-focused training plan across the site.
• Promote and drive a strong Food Safety & Quality Culture throughout the business.

Process & Documentation Control

• Support NPD projects with technical input, validation, and approval of product specifications, artwork, and labelling.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, line settings, and manufacturing process documentation.
• Ensure all product and process documentation is accurate, up-to-date, and compliant.

Hygiene Management

• Manage site hygiene functions across both shifts.
• Conduct hygiene performance assessments and regular hygiene trackers, raising issues for corrective action.

Reporting & Communication

• Report on key technical KPIs, including quality performance, customer complaints, and audit results, to senior management.
• Host customer visits and support product launches and audits.
• Participate in crisis management, product recall, and incident response activities.

Health, Safety & Culture

• Support and promote a positive Health & Safety culture on site, assisting in risk assessments and continuous improvement actions.

Your team

The role reports into our Technical, Quality & Innovation Director and will work closely with the Factory MD and Production Management. You will also manage the quality team, and hygiene teams. 

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