Pilot Plant and Process Training Manager
SKILLS
FULL DESCRIPTION
Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.
As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.
To succeed at [Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk] you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then [Employer hidden] offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact
What will this role achieve?
Driving technical excellence, innovation, and capability development across R&D!
We are looking for a Pilot Plant and Process Training Manager to act as a key technical expert within our product development function. This role plays a central part in supporting breakthrough innovation, shaping our health and wellness agenda, collaborating with suppliers, and strengthening process capability across the UK&I business.
You’ll lead the Pilot Plant and Analytical Capability team, ensuring equipment, processes, and resources are in place to deliver a smooth transition from concept to factory. As the main technical contact for complex manufacturing challenges, you’ll work closely with R&D, Supply Chain, and site teams to resolve issues, build capability, and drive continuous improvement.
This role also includes ownership of training needs across R&D and cross‑functional partners, developing future capability, managing maintenance and upgrades, and leading a team to deliver high performance and ongoing development.
What will be your key deliverables?
- Lead collaborative innovation delivery, partnering with R&D, Supply Chain, Commercialisation, Insights, Packaging, and SQSE to land new products, oversee scale‑up, and translate market and consumer trends into technical solutions.
- Drive value improvement, supporting cost‑saving programmes, evaluating key product attributes, recommending changes to improve profitability, and partnering with suppliers to validate opportunities.
- Ensure business continuity and quality, providing technical expertise for CIM, line transfers and issue resolution, managing specification reviews, and leading improvement plans.
- Build technical capability, overseeing training across R&D, developing people and processes, strengthening pilot plant and analytical capability, and acting as a visible ambassador for R&D.
- Provide strong leadership and team development, managing a team of up to five colleagues, supporting their growth, nurturing talent pipelines, and promoting a culture of innovation, collaboration, and high performance.
Bring your experience!
Essential
- Degree (or equivalent experience) in Food Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- Extensive experience in food manufacturing, ideally within baked products or snacks.
- Proven experience leading projects and product launches, including new formats, technologies, or equipment installations.
- Strong interpersonal, teamwork, and people‑development skills.
Desirable
- Experience working with baked and savoury products.
- Previous R&D experience within a food manufacturing organisation
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.