Engineering Team Leader
Onsite in Rainham, Essex
Reporting to:
Head of Engineering
About us
Frive is the UK's highest-rated meal plan service, cooked by chefs. We prepare, cook and deliver fresh and healthy meals to your door so you can save time and eat healthy at the same time.
We work with people from all different backgrounds and communities and recognise our own biases. We strive to create a strong sense of belonging and believe we will be better equipped to achieve our goals by building a team that approaches problems from different angles, using different perspectives and experiences to solve problems. All qualified applicants will be considered and we have no regard for age, ethnicity, ability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation the more the merrier, and together we can achieve greatness
Mission:
To make healthy eating convenient, delicious and accessible, whilst championing locally sourced and organic ingredients.
Vision:
To inspire a global shift towards a healthier society by changing eating habits and restoring food to its purest form.
Values
Empowerment:
We empower our people to make strong, independent decisions with confidence
Transparency:
We share information openly and with intention
Open Communication:
We communicate directly and honestly
High Performance:
We foster an environment that attracts, retains, and rewards high performance
Agility:
We encourage flexibility in our people by reducing blockers and prioritising their creativity and productivity
Impact
As an Engineering Team Leader at our Rainham facility, you will be responsible for leading and managing a team of 4 engineers to deliver consistently high standards across all maintenance and engineering activities. You will balance hands-on technical work with leadership responsibilities — ensuring smooth operations, driving a culture of continuous improvement, and reporting on key performance metrics to senior stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
Leadership & Management
* Lead, coach and support a team of 4 engineers (2 day shift / 2 night shift), fostering accountability and high performance.
* Create and manage team rotas, ensuring optimal shift coverage.
* Define and implement the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) cycle and ensure it is adhered to.
* Measure and report team KPIs (uptime, response times, project completion, compliance).
* Ensure full utilisation of systems for tracking, logging and reporting tasks.
* Report on performance and engineering updates to senior stakeholders and the future Head of Engineering.
Engineering & Technical
* Remain hands-on and act as a "float" across the team to support where needed.
* Carry out both reactive and proactive maintenance on equipment to maximise uptime.
* Troubleshoot mechanical and electrical issues across a range of food manufacturing equipment.
* Drive adherence to health, safety and compliance standards across all engineering work.
* Ensure accurate documentation of maintenance activities, safety checks and compliance requirements.
Continuous Improvement
* Champion a culture of Continuous Improvement (CI) and Kaizen within the team.
* Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems and workflows.
* Manage engineering projects effectively, ensuring timelines, budgets and quality standards are met.
Qualifications & Experience
* Qualified in mechanical and electrical engineering (e.g., NVQ3 or equivalent), ideally apprenticeship-trained.
* Strong background in a food manufacturing or fast-paced production environment.
* Proven experience leading or supervising a team of engineers, including setting direction and managing workloads.
* Demonstrated success in implementing and managing PPM cycles.
* Multi-skilled, with strong experience in both electrical and mechanical fault finding.
* Proficient with PLCs, automation, and industrial kitchen equipment.
Skills & Attributes
* Hands-on leader who balances technical work with people management.
* Strong planning, organisational and project management skills.
* Excellent communicator, able to influence upwards and across teams.
* Proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset.
* Committed to upholding safety, compliance and quality standards.
Benefits
Private Medical Insurance
25 days Holiday + Public
Bonus Scheme
A discount on our amazing food
Cycle to Work Scheme
Enhanced parental leave
Mintago Financial Wellbeing Platform – offering salary sacrifice options to make your money work smarter
What's next?
If you are interested in learning more about the role and think this could be for you, then don't hesitate and apply now. We look forward to hearing from you and love hearing from people who are passionate about our purpose and vision.