Technical Manager | Rochdale

Drive the highest standards of food safety and quality at our growing Rochdale site, leading a developing team through an exciting period of expansion.

What you will be doing

As a senior leader within the QEHS function, you will oversee the technical, quality assurance and hygiene operations to ensure our products remain safe, legal and of the highest quality. You will manage a cross-functional team including the Compliance Manager, Hygiene Manager and QA Managers.

• System Ownership: Maintain and continuously improve HACCP systems, food safety plans and Quality Management Systems (QMS) while leading the site HACCP team.
• Audit Management: Act as the primary lead for internal and external audits, liaising with regulatory bodies and retail customers to maintain BRCGS and industry accreditations.
• Team Mobilisation: Mentor and develop an evolving team, establishing robust processes from scratch and embedding a strong food safety culture across the site.
• Operational Oversight: Oversee non-conformances, customer complaints, pest control and the site’s sampling programmes to ensure effective corrective actions.
• Strategic Reporting: Report key technical and quality performance metrics to senior management, providing insights to drive continuous improvement.

What you will bring

We are looking for a disciplined, high-caliber leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is comfortable navigating the ambiguity of a site in its second phase of expansion.

• Experience: You possess significant experience at a senior Technical Management level within the food industry, specifically with a strong background in meat and essential experience working with major retailers.
• Hard Skills: You have an in-depth understanding of food manufacturing processes, expert-level knowledge of food safety legislation (BRCGS/HACCP) and the technical expertise to manage complex validation and risk assessment programs.
• Soft Skills: You are a collaborative leader who can build trust easily, demonstrating the resilience to lead by example and motivate a developing team in an unpredictable, changing environment.

Why join us

This is a unique opportunity to join Danish Crown at a pivotal moment for our Rochdale facility. As we move into "Phase 2" of our expansion, you will have the autonomy to establish processes from the ground up and play a critical role in shaping the site’s future. You won’t just be maintaining a system; you will be building a legacy of excellence in a state-of-the-art facility where your technical expertise directly impacts our growth.

Beyond the competitive salary and technical challenge, you will be part of a leadership team that values transparency and professional development. We offer a culture that encourages you to "lean out" and pursue ambitious targets without the fear of a "zero-mistake" environment. Here, your career growth is tied to the success of the site, providing a platform for significant professional impact and the chance to work closely with the Site Director to drive optimum performance.

About us

Danish Crown UK is a business built on trust, teamwork and ambition. We exist to deliver food that people believe in and we know that takes strong leadership and collaborative cultures.

Our leadership principles guide us. We act for the good of the whole organisation. We hire brilliant people and help them grow. We are ambitious, curious and open to new ideas. We build trust by accepting mistakes as part of development. We believe real leadership is earned through example, not title.

Whoever joins us will help create a workplace where people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, challenge old ways of working and stretch themselves to achieve more. If that sounds like the environment where you thrive, we would love to hear from you.