Engineering Front Line Manager

Welcome to Hovis. We are the proud guardians of over 130 years of baking experience that make up our iconic and much-loved brand. We produce bread and bakery products created with Hovis goodness at the heart of each. We deliver around 1.3million loaves, every day of the week throughout the UK and Ireland, where we also make Mothers Pride and Ormo products. 

We are 2,800 people working within 8 bakeries, 1 flour mill, and 2 regional distribution centres across the UK. Our success is a result of the hard work of our people;  they are experts in their field whether it’s baking, manufacturing, logistics, engineering, or the many departments within the central functions team based in our head office in High Wycombe. We are a values-led business and expect our colleagues to live, breathe, and embed Quality, Accountability, and Trust into their ways of working.

Location: Nottingham, UK

Shift: Monday to Friday dayshift

We are looking for an experienced Engineering Front Line Manager with an electrical and mechanical skillset to lead a shift-based engineering team in a high-speed manufacturing environment.

This is a hands-on engineering role. You will lead from the front, supporting complex fault finding, driving engineering standards on shift and acting as the link between engineering management and the shift team.

You will take ownership of electrical and mechanical maintenance working on the more complex problems whilst supporting the shift engineers and asset care technicians with the day to day maintenance and planned down time maintenance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support a shift team of skilled engineers


• Take the technical lead on electrical, automation and control system faults


• Support PLC, drives, HMI and instrumentation fault finding


• Ensure safe and effective response to breakdowns


• Drive engineering, safety and maintenance standards on shift


• Reduce repeat faults through structured problem solving


• Communicate clearly with engineering management and operations

What We’re Looking For

• Strong Multi Skilled engineering experience – demonstrable examples of both mechanical and electrical understanding


• Experience as a Senior Engineer (acting or permanent) with good leadership capabilities


• NVQ Level 3 apprentice trained (or equivalent time served experience)

• Strong fault-finding capability on PLC-controlled equipment


• Experience with drives, motors, sensors and control panels


• Background in FMCG, food or high-speed manufacturing


• Confident, hands-on who sets standards and supports the team leading by example

Benefits Baked In

All colleagues can choose from a wide range of benefits in addition to salaries, based on their individual needs.

• Three levels of pension scheme to choose from - employer contribution of up to 7.5%


• Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace App includes: 'at home' Annual Health Check, Digital GP consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinions and much more


• Enhanced parental leave (and flexibility where possible to suit your needs)


• Access to funded physiotherapy sessions


• Wellbeing support and campaigns to help you stay active and healthy, be financially prepared, and support your mental wellbeing


• Opt in plans for money back towards the cost of opticians, dentist, physiotherapist and more


• A benefits platform for all, Hovis Choice:




• £££ Savings and cashback offers on day-to-day spending


• Eyecare vouchers


• Cycle to work scheme