Head of Cold End Engineering

Location: Rotherham

Salary: £50,000 rising to £57,000 after 6 months

Hours: Days only, Monday-Friday

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced engineering leader to take responsibility for the Cold End function within a fast‑paced manufacturing environment. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in FMCG settings, enjoys developing teams, and is confident taking ownership of engineering performance, safety, and continuous improvement.

The Role

As Head of Cold End Engineering, you will lead and develop a team of Cold End Engineering Technicians, driving high standards across maintenance, reliability, safety, and compliance. You will be responsible for planning workloads, managing breakdowns, improving maintenance processes, and ensuring all equipment is maintained to a high standard.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you will work closely with your team, provide technical guidance, manage budgets, and contribute to ongoing engineering projects and improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, manage and develop Cold End Engineering Technicians
Ensure all Health & Safety requirements and company policies are consistently met
Oversee time and attendance, training plans, and skills development
Carry out on‑the‑job coaching and knowledge transfer
Ensure quality standards of work and completion of relevant documentation
Deliver toolbox talks and safety briefs as required
Plan and schedule work using CMMS and ensure accurate reporting
Manage breakdowns and communicate updates to relevant stakeholders
Monitor performance, review reports, and attend daily engineering meetings
Manage departmental budgets and labour allocation
Provide technical support for day engineers and shift teams
Participate in call‑out rota and offer out‑of‑hours telephone support
Lead and implement improvements, including PPM development
Assist with engineering projects, RFAs/CEAs, and equipment upgrades
Manage contractors, RAMS checks, and permit issuing
Undertake risk assessments and support compliance-related activities
Promote a strong H&S culture and contribute to JSI reviews and improvementsPerson Specification

Essential:

FMCG maintenance background
Electrical engineering qualification (Apprentice trained)
HNC/HND in Engineering
Strong PC skills including Microsoft Word & Excel
Good standard of Maths, English and ScienceDesirable:

Experience with glass inspection equipment
Conveyor systems knowledge
Palletisation and robotic systems experience
SMED or lean methodology exposure
ILM Level 5 or equivalent leadership qualification