Job Description:

Technical Manager – Specialty Chemicals

Middlewich, Cheshire | £58,000–£70,000 DOE + Bonus & Excellent Benefits

We are working with an established and growing speciality chemical manufacturer to recruit a Technical Manager for their manufacturing site in Middlewich.

This is a broad, hands-on technical leadership role and an excellent opportunity for an experienced Technical Manager or potentially a strong chemist/technical specialist who is ready to take the next step in their career.

Reporting directly to the CEO and forming part of the senior leadership team, you will take responsibility for the technical function, working across product formulation and development, quality, regulatory compliance, manufacturing and commercial support. You will also lead and develop a small technical team encompassing QC, development chemistry and quality/food safety.

A particularly important aspect of the role will be a strong understanding of chemical formulations. Experience within surfactants, anti-foam/defoamer technologies, emulsions or related speciality chemical applications would be highly advantageous. We are particularly interested in individuals who understand not simply how products are formulated, but the different chemistries available, why particular raw materials are selected and how formulation choices influence product performance.

Working closely with commercial colleagues and customers, you will provide technical expertise to support existing products and new opportunities, while collaborating with raw material suppliers and international colleagues to ensure the portfolio continues to meet technical, regulatory and customer requirements.

We would particularly like to hear from candidates who can offer:

• A degree or higher qualification in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Emulsion Science or a related discipline
• Strong industrial chemical formulation experience
• Knowledge of surfactants, anti-foam/defoamer or emulsion technologies would be particularly valuable
• Technical leadership or people management experience — or the capability and ambition to step into a broader leadership role
• Experience across areas such as NPD, QC, regulatory/product compliance, audits and manufacturing support
• The ability to work confidently with commercial teams, customers, suppliers and other technical stakeholders
• A practical, hands-on approach combined with good commercial awareness
• The ability to commute regularly to the Middlewich manufacturing site

This is a highly visible position within the business and offers the opportunity to influence both day-to-day technical operations and future product development. The successful individual will join the company at an important stage of its continued growth and will have genuine scope to develop both the technical team and function.

The package includes a competitive salary depending upon experience, discretionary bonus, 10% employer pension contribution with no employee contribution required, private healthcare and 25 days' holiday increasing with service. Working hours are 8am–4pm Monday to Thursday and 8am–3pm Friday.

Interested?
If your background is in speciality chemicals and you have strong formulation knowledge, we'd be very happy to have an initial confidential conversation. You don't necessarily need to tick every box — technical depth, leadership potential and the ability to understand and support the wider business will be key.