Head of Engineering – Preston, Lancashire, UK (Relocation assistance available; salary £70,000–£80,000 per annum).
About the Role
You will have strategic influence, autonomy, and transformation opportunities. You will shape engineering investment and new technology integration, design and implement best‑in‑class engineering roadmap, elevate engineering culture with preventative and predictive maintenance excellence, and directly influence OEE, downtime reduction, cost control, and performance optimisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Drive cultural change and engineering excellence across the function.
- Embed a robust preventative and predictive maintenance framework.
- Deliver measurable improvements in availability, efficiency and waste reduction.
- Manage KPI performance, budgets and contractor relationships.
- Lead a structured programme of capital expenditure.
- Ensure engineering compliance with BRC requirements/standards.
- Align engineering capability with ambitious business growth plans.
- Act as an active member of the company’s leadership team and influence day‑to‑day management and culture.
This visible leadership role requires flexibility to support a 24/5 operation.
Qualifications & Experience
Ideal candidate will be an experienced engineering leader from a food manufacturing background, ideally meat or poultry processing, who combines technical credibility with commercial acumen. You will have:
- Degree‑level (or equivalent) engineering qualification.
- Proven success leading multi‑skilled engineering teams.
- Strong experience implementing preventative maintenance and continuous improvement programmes.
- Experience managing third‑party contractors and CDM compliance.
- Experience managing capital expenditure projects.
- Excellent IT skills – Microsoft Office.
- Experience within BRC or similarly regulated environments.
- Track record of improving OEE and operational performance.
- Confidence to influence at board and shop‑floor level.
- Motivation to build something stronger than inherited.
Benefits
- Competitive salary with flexibility for sector expertise.
- Relocation package (budget up to £5,000).
- Genuine leadership influence within a growing business.
- Opportunity to shape culture, standards and long‑term engineering strategy.
- Free parking and onsite canteen with fresh hot meals each day.
- Staff shop / discounted products, PPE and uniform provided.
- Enhanced pension and holiday entitlement with continuous service.
Acknowledgements
Legal right to live and work in the UK is required; sponsorship is not available.
Suitable Candidates
- Engineering Manager
- Mechanical Engineer
- Multi‑skilled Engineering Manager
- Multiskilled Engineer
- Senior Engineer
- Engineering Team Leader
- Maintenance Manager
- Manufacturing Engineer Manager
- Senior Production Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Design Engineering
- Installation Engineer
- Maintenance Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
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