Technical Manager

Technical Manager – Chilled Food Manufacturing

Location: Cork City

Salary: Negotiable

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Overview

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced Technical Manager to lead the technical, quality, and food safety agenda within a fast-paced chilled food manufacturing environment. The successful candidate will take full responsibility for compliance, product integrity, customer technical engagement, and the continual improvement of chilled operations.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Lead the technical function across chilled, high-care, and high-risk areas.
  
• Ensure full compliance with food safety legislation, BRCGS standards, and customer Codes of Practice.
  
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the Quality Management System (QMS) with a chilled-product focus.
  
• Lead, mentor, and develop the technical and QA teams, driving a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
  

Food Safety & Quality

• Oversee HACCP, VACCP, TACCP, allergen management, traceability, microbiological controls, and chilled-chain integrity.
  
• Own and maintain technical documentation, product specifications, SOPs, and QAS standards.
  
• Conduct internal audits and ensure the site is fully prepared for BRCGS, customer, and regulatory audits.
  
• Monitor product quality from raw material intake through to finished chilled product dispatch.
  

Chilled Operations Support

• Work closely with Production to ensure chilled-chain controls, temperature management, GMP, and hygiene standards are consistently achieved.
  
• Support NPD with first production trials, technical assessments of chilled products, and specification sign-off.
  
• Lead root cause investigations for non-conformances, customer complaints, and deviations from chilled operational standards.
  

Customer & Supplier Interface

• Act as the technical lead for customer visits, audits, and technical reviews.
  
• Build strong relationships with retail and foodservice customers, ensuring chilled product requirements are met.
  
• Oversee supplier approval, raw material risk assessment, and traceability for chilled ingredients.
  

Continuous Improvement

• Drive improvements in chilled food safety, hygiene, quality systems, and audit performance.
  
• Implement CI initiatives to reduce waste, improve shelf life, and enhance process control.
  
• Deliver training to internal teams on food safety, chilled product handling, and QMS requirements.
  

Required Experience

• 5 years’ experience in a technical or QA leadership role within food manufacturing
  
• Strong understanding of BRCGS Issue 9, HACCP (Level 4 preferred), GMP, and EU food legislation.
  
• Experience managing and improving QMS systems in chilled/high-care environments.
  
• Confident handling customer audits and external technical communication.
  
• Strong leadership and coaching skills with a hands-on approach.
  

Desirable

• Experience with chilled seafood, fish processing, or chilled value-added manufacturing.
  
• Exposure to supermarket retailer technical systems.
  
• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a related field.
  

What This Role Offers

• A strategic and hands-on leadership role within a growing chilled manufacturing site.
  
• Opportunity to develop technical standards and shape chilled category performance.
  
• Strong progression for candidates with ambition to step into a senior technical leadership role.