Engineering Team Leader – £57,523 | Panama Shift | Leading Food Manufacturer | Poole Location: Poole Salary: £57,523 Shift Pattern: Panama (12-hour day shifts, average of 3–4 shifts per week, 5:15am – 5:15pm) Mason James is proud to be partnered with a market-leading UK food manufacturing business based in Poole. We’re excited to offer a brand-new opportunity for an experienced Engineering Team Leader to join a high-performing site, leading a skilled team of engineers and ensuring operational excellence across our production lines. ️ The Role As Engineering Shift Leader, you’ll be responsible for maintaining and optimising production equipment while managing a team of engineers. This is a hands-on leadership role where your technical skills, problem-solving mindset, and people management ability will have a direct impact on minimising downtime and maximising efficiency. Key Responsibilities Production & Processing: * Demonstrate solid understanding of raw materials, food production processes, and equipment operation * Support quality control (QC) procedures and compliance * Help manage manufacturing costs and contribute to operational improvements Maintenance & Systems: * Operate and maintain the site's Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), covering: * Asset register and asset history * Risk assessments and safety documentation * Machine settings, critical spares, SOPs * Preventative, predictive, autonomous, and condition-based maintenance routines * Ensure clear, concise shift handovers and support this with direct communication and documentation Training & Development: * Participate in technical training and onboarding of new team members * Deliver one-point lessons and equipment-specific knowledge to production staff * Share best practices to help grow team capability and support succession planning Continuous Improvement: * Drive continuous improvement initiatives across Engineering and Production * Use CI tools and techniques to identify inefficiencies and enhance asset performance * Collaborate closely with operations teams to deliver measurable results ✅ What We’re Looking For * Proven experience leading engineering teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment (ideally food/FMCG) * Strong working knowledge of modern maintenance systems, including CMMS * Ability to balance hands-on technical work with leadership and planning responsibilities * A continuous improvement mindset and a proactive, solutions-focused approach * Excellent communication skills and a safety-first attitude Why Join? * Competitive salary of £57,523 * Industry-leading employer in a secure and growing sector * Structured Panama shift providing great work-life balance * High-impact leadership role with real opportunities to influence and improve * Ongoing investment in training, development, and new technology Ready to lead a high-performing engineering team in a cutting-edge food manufacturing environment? Apply today for immediate consideration and full details