Planning & Shift Engineering Manager
Kinmel, North Wales
Permanent | Full Time | Onsite
The Opportunity
We're pleased to offer an exciting internal opportunity for a Planning & Shift Engineering Manager to join our Kinmel site. This role is critical in ensuring our maintenance activities are structured, organised and executed efficiently through effective planning and the leadership of our Shift Engineering teams. Working with our CMMS, you will drive standards, compliance, and reliability across the site, contributing to a strong engineering culture focused on safety, development, performance, and continuous improvement.
About Us
INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is an innovative, well-established, and award-winning pet food manufacturer employing over 1,200 colleagues across the UK and Europe. Our family of brands includes Harringtons, Wagg, Barking Heads & Meowing Heads, AATU, Blink, Butcher's, Classic, Pro-Nutrition, and Ultra Premium Direct, along with a number of partner brands that trust us to produce food on their behalf.
Our kitchens in Thirsk, Kinmel, and Crick produce a wide range of dry, wet, and baked foods enjoyed by dogs and cats all over the world. Our ambition is simple: to become a global leader in pet nutrition.
Our Purpose: To Create Happiness
We're on a mission to set a new standard of workplace happiness within the pet nutrition industry-one that looks like no other and feels like no other. Our culture is built on INSPIRED's unique behaviours and colleague experience, creating an environment that excites, empowers, and puts people and pets at the heart of everything we do.
What You'll Be Doing
* Provide leadership and direction to the Shift Engineering teams, creating a culture where colleagues are safe, engaged, focused, developed, and performing at their best.
* Organise, plan, and schedule maintenance activities through effective use of the CMMS to ensure operational efficiency.
* Monitor and control engineering department costs, including negotiating with vendors/external contractors and managing internal labour and overtime costs.
* Implement and embed processes that ensure legislative, food safety, and health & safety compliance across the site, verifying adherence through regular audits.
* Develop, train, and optimise CMMS usage for planning and maintenance, using data analysis and problem-solving methods to define preventative maintenance strategies and stock holding.
* Maintain comprehensive maintenance records such as work orders, logs, equipment histories, drawings, and manuals within Pirana, supporting trend analysis and continuous improvement.
* Act as a key member of the site engineering management team, ensuring strong collaboration between maintenance teams, other departments, and site leadership.
About You
* Preferably degree calibre in a relevant engineering field (e.g., BEng or equivalent) and/or membership of a recognised professional body (IET / IMechE).
* Proven track record of people management within an engineering environment.
* Previous experience in maintenance, fault finding, or technical inventory management.
* Strong experience with CMMS systems, including set-up and optimisation.
* Knowledge of TPM principles (highly desirable).
* Strong negotiation and supplier management capability.
* Able to demonstrate engineering aptitude and sound technical judgement.
* Highly proactive, committed, and able to work independently.
* Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise effectively.
* High attention to detail and ability to produce SOPs and guideline documents.
* Effective team player with strong numeracy and literacy skills.
The Package
* Competitive salary
* Pension scheme: 3% employee / 8% employer (salary sacrifice)
* 25 days holiday + bank holidays
* Medicash Plan
* Enhanced maternity, paternity, and pawternity
* Free parking, tasty treats, dog-friendly workplace, discounted products & free hot drinks
* Access to flexible benefits including cycle to work, workplace nursery scheme, and dental insurance
* Ability to purchase heavily discounted pet food
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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the colleagues and communities we serve. We believe everyone should feel valued, respected and able to be themselves at work.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We make hiring decisions based on talent, potential and the experience you bring.
We are also committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace, ensuring equitable access and opportunity for all. If you need any adjustments or support to take part in our recruitment process, please contact recruitment@ipn.co.uk
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