The Sterling Choice

The best Technical Managers don't just protect standards. They make the whole site better. That's what this role needs. You'll take the technical lead across a well-established food manufacturing site, sitting on the senior leadership team and owning Food Safety, Quality, Hygiene, Compliance and customer standards. But this isn't a turnaround job. The site is stable. The team is experienced. Audit performance is strong. What they need now is someone who can take that foundation and move it forward. A big part of the opportunity is people. You'll inherit a settled Technical function with strong tenure and good knowledge, but there's also a clear succession challenge ahead. Some experienced people are approaching retirement, others are still developing, and the business wants someone who can build the next layer of leadership rather than simply keep the department ticking over. You'll lead, coach and develop the team, create proper succession plans and make sure good people can see a future for themselves on site. You'll also need to be commercially minded. That means working closely with Production, Engineering and Supply Chain, challenging when necessary, but always with solutions. This isn't about being the Technical police. It's about having enough gravitas to hold people to account while still being the person they want in the room when something needs fixing. Customer and retailer experience matters too. You'll need experience dealing with UK retailers, customer visits, audits and Codes of Practice, alongside a strong grounding in BRC, HACCP and food manufacturing standards. There's also scope to look at hygiene, technical efficiency and how the function can work smarter, not just harder. You'll need to have led Technical or Quality in food manufacturing before, know how to develop people, and be comfortable influencing at senior level. If you're the kind of Technical leader who enjoys building teams, improving standards and helping shape what a site becomes next, this is worth a confidential conversation.

The Sterling Choice is seeking a Technical Leader to take the technical lead across a well-established food manufacturing site, sitting on the senior leadership team and owning Food Safety, Quality, Hygiene, Compliance and customer standards. You'll lead, coach and develop the team, build succession plans and influence at senior level, while working closely with Production, Engineering and Supply Chain to deliver practical improvements.

Procurement Manager Greater Manchester £60,000 - £65,000 Food Manufacturing Hybrid Working 3 Days from Home / 2 Days in Office Most procurement roles are reactive. Chasing shortages. Managing supplier issues. Explaining margin erosion after the damage is done. This role is different. This growing food manufacturing business is looking for a Procurement Manager who can think commercially, influence decisions across the business, and build a procurement function that adds real value. You ll take ownership of sourcing strategy across raw materials and packaging, managing supplier relationships globally while supporting profitability, product development, and supply continuity. Key responsibilities include: Leading supplier negotiations and managing contracts Monitoring markets and forecasting pricing movement Working closely with Sales, Supply Chain, Technical, and NPD teams Supporting product costings and yield management Improving supplier performance and reducing waste/write-offs Managing global supply and import activity They re looking for someone with procurement experience within food manufacturing, strong negotiation skills, and the confidence to operate cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment. CIPS qualification (or working towards it) is advantageous, but commercial ability and practical experience matter most. If you want a role where procurement has genuine influence on business performance, this is worth a conversation.

We re recruiting for an experienced QA Manager to join a fast-paced food manufacturing site within the Food to Go sector. This is a great opportunity for someone with a strong QA or Technical background who enjoys being close to the operation, leading a team and making sure food safety, quality and customer standards are consistently delivered. You ll take responsibility for the day-to-day management of the QA team and quality systems across site, working closely with Operations and Technical to resolve issues, drive standards and support continuous improvement. What you ll be doing: Leading, coaching and developing the site QA team Acting as a key contact for food safety and quality matters Ensuring quality systems meet customer, legal and company requirements Working closely with Production to maintain high quality and hygiene standards Managing non-conformances and ensuring corrective actions are closed out Investigating quality, microbiological and process issues Supporting audits, inspections and customer visits Developing and maintaining HACCP and food safety systems What we re looking for: You ll have previous experience in a QA or Technical role within food manufacturing, along with a good understanding of food safety, quality systems and audits. You ll also be confident leading people and working closely with production teams. A calm, practical approach, strong attention to detail and the ability to communicate standards effectively across different levels of the business will be important. Experience within chilled, ready-to-eat or Food to Go manufacturing would be particularly relevant. Interested? Apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation.

Electrically Biased Maintenance Engineer FMCG 3-Shift Rotation Generous Salary + Excellent Benefits There aren't many FMCG businesses investing at this level. With significant investment going into new equipment, automation and the engineering function , this is an opportunity to join a business that is serious about its people, its site and its future. We're looking for an electrically biased Maintenance Engineer to join the engineering team and play a key role in keeping a busy manufacturing operation running efficiently. The Role You'll be working across a modern, heavily invested manufacturing site, carrying out both planned and reactive maintenance across a range of production and automated equipment. You'll be involved in: Electrical fault finding and breakdown response Planned and preventative maintenance Working with PLCs, sensors, drives and automated systems Supporting installation and commissioning of new equipment Identifying opportunities to improve reliability and reduce downtime Working closely with production and the wider engineering team Contributing to ongoing engineering and site improvement projects What We're Looking For We're looking for an experienced Maintenance Engineer with a strong electrical bias and a background within FMCG, food, manufacturing or another fast-paced production environment. You'll ideally have: Strong electrical fault-finding experience Good mechanical understanding Experience working with automated manufacturing equipment A proactive approach to maintenance and continuous improvement Relevant engineering qualifications What's In It For You? This is where the opportunity really stands out. Generous salary Excellent overall benefits package 3-shift rotation Significant investment in new machinery and technology Continued investment in the engineering department Ongoing training and development Opportunity to work with modern automation and equipment A business with a genuine long-term focus on engineering It's rare to find an FMCG business putting this much investment into both its equipment and its engineering team. If you're an electrically biased engineer looking for somewhere you can develop, work with modern technology and be part of a serious investment programme, this is well worth a conversation.