Job Overview
We’re looking for a Team Leader to take full accountability for the safe, compliant, and efficient operation of our preparation area. This hands‑on leadership role involves controlling raw materials, managing people, and ensuring continuity of supply to downstream production while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, quality, and traceability. If you thrive in a fast‑paced, temperature‑controlled environment and take pride in running a tight, compliant operation, we want to hear from you.
Responsibilities
- Enforce PPE, machine guarding, and safe equipment operation.
- Identify and escalate hazards, near misses and unsafe behaviours.
- Stop production immediately where there is risk to people, food safety or legality.
- Support environmental targets by reducing waste, energy, water and giveaway.
- Take ownership of food safety, legality and quality within the preparation area.
- Ensure compliance with HACCP plans, customer specifications and site standards.
- Verify only approved, in‑date, correctly labelled materials are used.
- Maintain full traceability through accurate batch and stock records.
- Act immediately on any food safety or contamination risk.
- Keep the area audit‑ready at all times.
- Ensure all preparation activities follow SOPs, recipes and batch specifications.
- Conduct and verify pre‑start and changeover checks.
- Manage preparation sequencing to meet production demand.
- Monitor process performance and take corrective action where needed.
- Coordinate with Engineering and Quality to minimise downtime.
- Maintain housekeeping standards in line with BRCGS and 5S principles.
- Take responsibility for ingredient and raw material stock within your area.
- Ensure FIFO compliance, segregation and correct storage standards.
- Allocate roles and manage labour effectively at shift start.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, stock accuracy and waste reduction.
Qualifications
- Supervisory experience within food manufacturing or preparation operations.
- Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety, allergen control and hygiene standards.
- Understanding of FIFO, stock control and traceability requirements.
- Confident leading and motivating shift teams.
- Experience working to SOPs, batch specs and pre‑start checks.
- Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
- Comfortable working in a temperature‑controlled environment.
- Experience within BRCGS or customer‑audited environments.
- Knowledge of Lean or continuous improvement practices.
- Experience working cross‑functionally with Planning or Warehousing.
- Basic data analysis skills to monitor and improve KPIs.
About The Compleat Food Group
At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to be a food business built on purpose and passion. Formed in 2021, our mission is to create food that makes people feel good – great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat. We’re home to some of the UK’s most exciting and loved food brands and a leading supplier of own‑label pastry, bakery, party food and more to the UK’s major retailers and foodservice. With over 6,000 colleagues across 17 sites and an annual turnover of £1.3bn, we’re united by a shared ambition to shape the future of food for the better.
Benefits
- Salary sacrifice schemes including electric vehicles, home & tech, cycle‑to‑work and SMART pension.
- 20 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra.
- Holiday discounts via our online retail platform and enhanced retail discounts in‑store.
- Free product hand‑outs across sites.
- EV charging points at selected sites.
- 24/7 access to GroceryAid for free financial, emotional and practical support.
- Physical wellbeing hub with free on‑demand exercise classes and gym discounts.
- Free diet & nutrition advice and access to thousands of healthy recipes.
- Online wellbeing support ranging from mindfulness to lifestyle resources.
- Financial wellbeing tools including mortgage calculators, budgeting tools and financial aid.
- Access to a personalised online learning platform (LMS).
- Formal and informal training opportunities tailored to your role.
- Performance development plans and regular career conversations.
- Company mentoring scheme.
- Recognition through Club Compleat rewards.
- 2 paid volunteering days per year to give back to causes you care about.
- Charity initiatives and fundraising events.
- Team socials to connect and celebrate together.
- Employee networks and support groups including Women at Compleat.
- New baby gift for new parents.
Equal Opportunity Statement
We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to fairness, equity, inclusivity, and respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, let us know – we will support you confidentially and with care.
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