Overview

We are looking for a Project Engineering Manager to lead the Project Engineering team to deliver the capital plan in our frozen ready meal factory in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The role will encompass responsibility for successful delivery of all capital projects in the existing factory, on-time, within budget and to apetito’s high standards of quality.

The project engineering team work on a variety of projects that add value to the business and can make huge difference in every aspect of it, being given responsibility to drive business improvement.

You will lead the project engineering team to deliver improvements to the equipment and operations, which historically amount to c.£5M annually. Typical Capital Expenditure projects include introducing or upgrading equipment on site, building alterations and M&E projects. As well as this, you will be involved in energy saving and other sustainability biased projects.

You will be responsible, alongside other senior stakeholders, for strategic planning in developing and executing the capital plan, allocating necessary resources and reporting back to the senior stakeholders on progress.

This role involves leading and motivating the project team members and ensuring that all projects follow agreed standard procedures to aid in maintaining apetito’s “AA” BRCGS grade years, whilst looking to continuously improve and raise project delivery standards.

For this role, you will have experience of leading food or pharmaceutical biased projects from conception to completion, including scoping with data analysis, project and financial management, equipment specification, installation and commissioning. You will have managerial experience of coaching and leading a team, including objective settings for their career development. There is excellent further personal development potential, in order to grow your career as the company grows.

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 largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.

Responsibilities

• Act as figurehead and single point of contact for the management and delivery of all capital projects on time and to budget at the right quality.
  
  
• Work with the Business Sponsor and key stakeholders to define the scope and objectives of the projects and secure financial approval.
  
  
• Delivering a variety of simultaneous capital projects at our Trowbridge manufacturing site, to improve safety, costs, quality, environmental impact and production capability of the site.
  
  
• Defining the project team structure including recruiting and developing the project engineering team to ensure successful delivery of all capital projects.
  
  
• Development of project procedures.
  
  
• Introduction of new technologies for competitive advantage.
  
  About you
  
  You will have excellent communication and leadership skills. You will manage, develop and lead the Project Engineering team. You will be KPI focused, based on safety, quality, cost and delivery.
  
  Essential
  
  
• Previous experience as a Project Manager achieving successful delivery of multiple >£0.5M capex projects in an FMCG environment.
  
  
• Delivery of significant complex capital projects, on-time and to budget.
  
  
• Factory maintenance/engineering background with very strong project management skills.
  
  
• A personal reputation for high standards of safety in engineering and across the wider manufacturing team.
  
  
• Focused on continuous improvement, lean processes and excellence in delivery.
  
  
• Good financial acumen with experience of managing a large capex budget.
  
  
• Ability to manage the complex matrix of stakeholders ranging from (amongst others) the Executive team to factory design consultants, operational team colleagues (eg Manufacturing and Technical), planning consultants, Wiltshire Council, constructors and OEMs.
  
  Desirable:
  
  
• Degree or equivalent in an engineering discipline with a recognised Project Management Qualification
  
  
• Experience of working in chilled/frozen food manufacturing.
  
  
• Industry qualifications in Health and Safety, HACCP and Food Hygiene
  
  
• Experience of ammonia-based refrigeration/spiral freezer systems.
  
  
• Experience of automation and robotics, including the use of artificial intelligence
  
  Personal Qualities
  
  
• High standards of management and leadership, motivating and empowering others. Keen to develop, educate and drive change from within.
  
  
• Team spirited with a sense of urgency and agility.
  
  
• Adhere to high standards of ethics and values – “do the right thing”
  
  
• Ability to make prompt, clear decisions
  
  
• Focuses on customer needs and satisfaction, including internal customers
  
  
• Adapts interpersonal style to suit different people or situations
  
  
• Entrepreneurial and commercial thinker
  
  
• Controls costs and thinks in terms of profit, loss and added value.
  
  
• Sufficient experience and gravitas to provide effective project management leadership to the UK Board and company as a whole.
  
  
• The ability/skill to identify, highlight/flag and take action when things are going off track.
  
  Company Benefits
  
  
• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
  
  
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
  
  
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days annual leave 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