Process Manager

apetito; Trowbridge; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food supplier in the UK seeks a Process Manager to enhance meal quality through effective testing and monitoring. The role requires strong operational experience in food processing, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate across departments. The ideal candidate will participate in process improvements and audits, ensuring our meals surpass industry standards. Join us in making a real difference in food quality and customer satisfaction.

Benefits

Competitive salary

25 days holiday per year

Discretionary annual bonus scheme

Pension scheme with employer matched contributions

Life assurance scheme

Subsidised canteen

Free parking

Free turkey or voucher at Christmas

Retail discounts through perks scheme

Qualifications

• Sound operational experience in food process, Product Development, Engineering, Food Safety, Quality or Manufacturing within food operations.
• Ability to adopt a wide range of approaches to problem solving.
• Customer focused and passionate about great food.

Responsibilities

• Conduct extended process trials and monitoring post launch for new and improved products.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve quality and reduce failure.
• Lead on process investigations on failure or complaints.

Skills

Operational experience in food process

Attention to detail

Problem-solving abilities

Interpersonal and communication skills

Inter-departmental collaboration

Education

Degree in relevant field or equivalent experience

Job description

Overview

In support of our commitment to continuous quality improvement, we are seeking a Process Manager with a passion for delivering great food.

Reporting to the Head of Product and Process Development you will focus on identifying ways to improve the quality of our meals. You will work closely with our Production, Product Development and Technical teams to improve our testing, monitoring and control of manufacturing processes to deliver the best meal experience to our customers.

This will include managing and conducting an on-going programme of process audits, day to day process monitoring, validation of equipment and processes, supporting the introduction of new and improved processes and identifying & implementing process controls.

This role would suit someone with experience in food manufacturing, strong attention to detail and a flair for problem solving in a collaborative environment.

Who we are

apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings.

Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness.

Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s leading ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.

Responsibilities

• Conduct extended process trials and monitoring post launch for new and improved products.
• Trial existing products through new processes.
• Proactive identification of opportunities to improve quality, reduce failure and minimise variability.
• Support new and improved product trials.
• Identify, support and drive the implementation or improvement of key process controls for staged positive release.
• Undertake process audits and lead on process investigations on failure or complaints.
• On-going process validation of equipment and operations.
• Engage with key internal stakeholders to work collaboratively and identify process improvement and best outcomes.
• Work with other stakeholders to establish appropriate quality attributes and standards taking into account operational capabilities.
• Identify and deliver cost saving opportunities through improved processing efficiencies and methods.
• Drive the Quality agenda forward
• Resolve process driven quality complaints.
• Provide training and coaching to process stakeholders.

About you

Essential

• Sound operational experience in food process, Product Development, Engineering, Food Safety, Quality or Manufacturing within food operations
• Methodical with a keen eye for detail
• Ability to adopt a wide range of approaches to problem solving
• Good interpersonal, communication and influencing skills
• Experience of inter-departmental collaboration to achieveshared objectives
• Ability to work independently and manage short-term priorities
• Proactive hands‑on approach
• Customer focused and a passionate about great food

Desirable

• Degree, or equivalent experience
• Demonstrable track record of successful process development
• Experience within ready meals
• Chilled or frozen food manufacturing

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values

As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.

We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.

We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer.
Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future .

We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we’re on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.