Deputy Technical Director

About the job

• Support the Country Technical Director in overseeing the technical and production operations of the factory, acting as a key deputy to ensure seamless day-to-day, manufacturing functions. The role holder will be developed and mentored into a future Technical Director building the capability and experience required to independently lead a country technical operation.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the Country Technical Director in translating Group manufacturing strategy, policies and procedures into factory-level operational plans and initiatives
• Assist the Country Technical Director in preparing and evaluating capex investment proposals for machinery, site development and automation infrastructure.
• Assist the Country Technical Director in managing daily production operations, including planning, scheduling and performance monitoring.
• Oversee and support engineering projects at the factory, including equipment upgrades, process automation installations and utilities management, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and to specification.
• Drive the adoption of process automation solutions to reduce manual intervention.
• Support R&D activities and new product development NPD at the factory level.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, waste reduction programmes and implementation of lean manufacturing principles across the factory.
• Liaise with the Group Technical Department and the Country Technical Director on the selection and review of external contractors and machine vendors.
• Work closely alongside the Country Technical Director to supervise, coach and develop factory technical and production teams.
• Act as the primary point of contact for the technical team during the Country Technical Director's absence, ensuring continuity of operations.
• Support the Country Technical Director in preparing and monitoring the factory's annual technical and production budget, tracking expenditure and ensuring compliance with Group financial standards and legal requirements.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with factory teams, Group technical functions, and key external suppliers and regulatory bodies.
• Provide regular reporting on factory technical and production performance to the Country Technical Director, covering agreed Key Performance Indicators.
• Communicate effectively with internal stakeholders on the impact of technical or process changes on production and supply, proposing solutions that maintain quality and cost targets.

Key Qualifications & Skills

• B.Sc. or M.Sc. in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Mechanical / Electrical Engineering or a related discipline
• Minimum 5 years' experience in the food industry, with a strong mix of engineering and production roles
• Experience in FMCG or food manufacturing environments is essential
• Demonstrable hands-on technical knowledge of food production processes, quality standards and food safety HACCP, GMP, ISO
• Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems MES, SCADA, process automation platforms or industrial control systems is highly desirable
• Familiarity with AI, data analytics or digital manufacturing tools applied in a production environment is an advantage
• Fluent in English written and spoken, essential for Group reporting and cross-country collaboration. Speaking French is a plus
• Computer literacy MS Office, MS Project, ERP systems
• Proven ability to manage engineering and production projects, drive continuous improvement and deliver results within a manufacturing setting
• Strong technical knowledge of food science, food engineering, R&D and production processes