Head of Engineering – Regional 12‑month Project Role
Crewe – Full time – Permanent – Regional Hybrid – Travel across assigned UK Sites.
Head of Engineering (Deli) – Chilled Food Manufacturing
Competitive Senior Level Salary and Benefits
12 Month Project Role
Are you a visionary engineering leader ready to shape the future of the UK’s fastest growing chilled food manufacturing companies across your assigned multiple UK sites?
The Compleat Food Group seeks a dynamic Head of Engineering – (Deli) to spearhead strategic development, governance, and operational delivery of our Asset Care function — driving performance, compliance, and capability growth that fuels a business with BIG ambition across a fixed project of 12 months.
This is more than a leadership role. It’s a chance to champion food and people safety, embed a culture of continuous improvement and deliver capital investments that make a measurable impact.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Engineering Strategy & Governance: Embed our Group Asset Care Performance Model across your assigned sites, raise standards and ensure consistency.
- Capital Investment Leadership: Shape and deliver the regional capital agenda with a sharp eye on ROI and strategic alignment.
- Performance & Compliance: Ensure engineering excellence supports food safety, SHE, reliability, sustainability and operational efficiency.
- People Development: Build a high‑performing engineering culture through structured development, succession planning and capability uplift.
Responsibilities
- Food Safety & Quality
- Set and uphold hygienic design standards across all sites.
- Lead audit readiness and embed GMP‑aligned engineering practices.
- Govern engineering inputs into capital projects to ensure product protection.
- Health, Safety & Environment
- Champion a safety‑first culture and ensure full regulatory compliance.
- Drive sustainability through energy efficiency and waste reduction initiatives.
- Asset Performance
- Standardise CMMS usage and preventative maintenance programmes.
- Lead reactive maintenance excellence and root‑cause elimination.
- Foster cross‑site collaboration to reduce downtime and enhance reliability.
- Own engineering budgets and capital expenditure planning.
- Optimise contractor spend and apply life‑cycle cost thinking to all decisions.
- Align engineering resources to strategic and operational needs.
- Drive performance reviews, onboarding and technical development.
- Cultivate a culture of recognition, accountability and high performance.
- Governance & Control
- Benchmark engineering governance and challenge deviations.
- Oversee capital governance, documentation standards and audit compliance.
Who we are looking for
- Qualifications
- Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or related Engineering discipline.
- Chartered Engineer status (or working towards it) preferred.
- NEBOSH/IOSH and project management certification (PRINCE2/APM) a plus.
- Experience
- Proven leadership in multi‑site food manufacturing or similar industrial environments.
- Track record of engineering performance improvement and capital project delivery.
- Expertise in CMMS, asset care frameworks and regulatory compliance.
- Passion for developing engineering talent and building future leaders.
- Skills
- Strategic thinker with commercial acumen and financial fluency.
- Inspirational leader with strong communication and stakeholder influence.
- Analytical problem‑solver with a relentless drive for improvement.
- Methodical, organised, works with autonomy and governance‑focused.
Why Join Us
At The Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success.
- Company Bonus Scheme recognising performance and contribution.
- Salary Sacrifice Schemes – including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work and SMART Pension.
- 33 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra.
- Access to enhanced retail discounts online and in‑store.
- Free product handouts across our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand.
- EV charging points available at selected sites.
- 24/7 access to GroceryAid for free financial, emotional and practical support.
- Physical Wellbeing Hub – free on‑demand exercise programmes, online classes and multiple gym discounts.
- Free diet & nutrition advice with access to thousands of meal plans and healthy recipes.
- Online wellbeing support – 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.
- Industry leading company Mentoring Scheme to add depth and really support your career journey.
- Recognition through Club Compleat rewards portal.
Community & Culture
- 2 paid volunteering days per year to give back to causes that matter to you.
- Charity initiatives and fundraising events.
- Team socials to connect and celebrate together.
- Employee networks & support groups – including Women @ Compleat.
- New baby gift for new parents.
How We Recruit
At The Compleat Food Group we create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported and can be themselves at work. We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to fairness, equity, inclusivity and respect. We value reasonable adjustments, an accessible recruitment process and active internal networks – including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+ and Neurodiversity.
This is a rare opportunity to lead and shape a scaling Engineering function across a varied region of sites and leave a legacy of operational excellence. You’ll work alongside passionate professionals in a fast‑growing business that values safety, innovation, integrity and impact.
Ready to engineer a better future? Apply now and let’s build something extraordinary together.
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