Engineering Manager

Location:  Wakefield
Function:  Manufacturing
Job Reference:  8083
Employment Type:  Permanent / Full Time
Closing Date:  tbc
Date:  21 Apr 2026

 

As ‘the UK’s No. 1 Bakery Brand’ we have been baking bread since 1876. Today, we are proudly a fifth-generation family, with the introduction of the sixth generation, supplying over 18,000 retail customers from 11 bakeries and 16 depots, producing a range of over 70 products including gluten and wheat free. Family and values are what makes us different, and we are a proud bunch, join us and you too could be proud to be Warburtons.

 

The Recipe

 

To lead the Engineering Team, ensuring that the plant runs efficiently, effectively and safely at all times and that opportunities for improvement are continuously identified and implemented.

 

Key Accountabilities and Measures

 

  • Develop and manage the implementation of a plant maintenance and improvement programme to increase bakery efficiency and meet performance criteria.
  • Identify and manage the execution of site-based projects, ensuring that the plant runs efficiently during trials and that any difficulties are quickly and effectively resolved.
  • Monitor plant and equipment to ensure both comply with food safety legislation and initiate any required action in a timely manner.
  • Ensure plant and personnel conform to health & safety legislation, policies and standards, initiating any required action so that the site is healthy and safe and free from accidents.
  • Recruit, motivate and develop the engineering team to ensure they achieve the goals and targets agreed in their role profiles and performance review meetings.
  • Identify and implement energy management and environment standards, providing data and organising projects to ensure that site targets are attained.
  • Develop revenue and capital budgets and manage expenditure to ensure that budget targets are achieved.

 

Essential Ingredients

 

  • Food & Drink Advanced Engineering L5 Apprenticeship or equivalent / HNC or C&G Electrical Electronic / or Mechanical qualifications; I Eng Standard Professional Accreditation
  • Collaboration and team working skills
  • Warburtons’ quality systems – able to ensure team’s outputs meet required quality standards.
  • Knowledge and experience of bread making process, plant & technology.
  • Knowledge of HR policies and the law in relation to the employment of people.
  • Knowledge and experience of management in an FMCG environment.
  • H&S/Food Safety systems & legislation knowledge e.g. IOSH – able to ensure a safe working environment.
  • IT knowledge – able to use widespread functions within relevant software inc. Microsoft Office, SAP and PLCs
  • Communicating skills – articulate/develops effective, long-term relationships with key people.
  • Coaching and mentoring skills – takes responsibility for the training and coaching of others.
  • Influencing & negotiating skills – maintains attention when speaking to groups of people/negotiates successful deals and purchases/develops persuasive arguments/demonstrates flexibility in influencing style. 
  • Analysing and problem solving skills – anticipates problems before they occur and takes steps to deal with them/correctly & swiftly identifies the underlying problem & finds appropriate solutions.
  • Project management skills – uses project management techniques to create effective plans with – time; cost; quality scope with milestones/identifies areas of risk 
  • Decision making skills – makes timely decisions/takes account of the wider risks & implications.
  • Commercial skills – uses an understanding of the cost base in own area to improve profitability/develops and monitors engineering budget.
  • Strategic thinking skills – develops strategy and long term plans and objectives for own area/re-designs processes & ways of working to meet long-term objectives.
  • Management & leadership skills – develops and exciting vision which inspires others to perform/uses a range of management styles/deals effectively with performance issues/creates a sense of trust in the team

 

Extra Dough

 

At last and by no means least you will want to know what your breads worth:

 

  • Car allowance
  • A slice of the annual profits (discretionary profit share)
  • Family time is important to us and we know it will be to you, so you will have 5 weeks holiday and bank hols. Plus the opportunity to purchase up to an extra weeks annual leave
  • Award winning pension scheme with company contributions up to7%
  • Private medical insurance, health screening and life assurance
  • Products you will love along with deals and discounts for you and the family through our Extra Dough website
  • Support for your health and wellbeing, including access to free physiotherapy, 24/7 access to a confidential helpline for practical advice and a comprehensive occupational health service

 

 

We respect and value difference. We look to create an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Companies that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, or any other aspect which makes them unique, are proven to be better companies. More importantly, creating an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work, is the right thing to do.