Emma Symonds

Director

Contact

emma@truenorthtalent.co.uk

Bio

I have over 23 years' experience recruiting permanent professionals across middle/senior management and exec level roles within Operations, Technical/Quality, NPD, Commercial, Supply Chain and Engineering and Continuous Improvement.

I love being a part of the ever-evolving Food and Drink manufacturing industry in the UK and Europe.

Throughout my years of experience I've had the privilege of connecting talented professionals with exciting opportunities that fuel their careers.

What drives me? My relationships are so important to me. I want to work in partnership with businesses with similar values to ours. I have built my reputation on integrity and honesty and this will never change.

Outside of work I am a busy Mum who is always trying to balance my priorities and it never gets easier, but I thrive on a challenge. Everything I do is for my little boy and I want to show him that hard work pays off!

I am also married to another recruiter so that is a challenge in itself! 😉

Dream dinner party trio:

Elton John
David Beckham
Adele

On the menu:

Grilled Halloumi with sweet chilli sauce
Fillet steak with peppercorn sauce, chips and vegetables
Lemon Tart

...then I would ask Adele and Elton John to entertain!

Get in touch with Emma .

Use this form to send us a message, and we’ll get back to you shortly.

Testimonials.

Emma was great - she checked in regularly and gave me all the information I need to make the transition into a new role seamless.

Very friendly and professional service.

Head of Technical

1/17

Emma Symonds has been an absolutely pleasure to work with!. She was friendly, personable and asked thought provoking questions to ensure I was well suited for the organization.

Would highly recommend connecting with Emma.

General Manager

1/17

I had the pleasure of working with Emma at True North, and I can't recommend her highly enough. From the very first conversation, Emma was incredibly professional, engaging, and attentive. Emma took the time to really understand not just my background and skillset, but also my long-term aspirations.

Emma's commitment to finding a role that was the right fit – not just any job, was key for me. She listened carefully, and matched me with an opportunity that aligned perfectly with both my experience and where I wanted to go professionally.

Communication throughout the process was impeccable right up to my first day in role and follow up checkins. So, If you're looking for a recruiter who truly cares and goes the extra mile, I highly recommend Emma and the team at True North.

General Manager

1/17

Contacted by Emma regarding a position, regular contact throughout the whole process from screening right through to final interview and contract negotiations with my new employer.

Would highly recommend.

Head of HSE

1/17

Emma and the team have been brilliant in supporting me into a new role. I highly recommend and will definitely use their services again.

Thank you.

Head of Operations

1/17

Emma has been amazing in helping me secure my latest role. She is really attentive, listens and understands what you need. Her warm and friendly natures means she’s incredibly easy to talk to and even after the role is secured, she enjoys to catch up with you to make sure everything is OK.

Thanks Emma for all your help.

Senior Factory Manager

1/17

Emma has placed a number people into our business including recently 2 site leads. On every occasion she has taken the time to fully understand our business and the specific needs of the roles. She is very well connected across the industry and her extensive experience in recruitment really shows.

When necessary she has actively listened to feedback from early candidates when proposing more candidates for consideration. Emma handles all recruitment in a professional manner making working with her easy.

I am also aware that Emma always works professionally with potential recruits as well as the organisation she is recruiting for.

Group Operations Director

1/17

From the first time I enlisted TNT’s help I was impressed by the way they took the time to listen to what you really needed for your role and how you liked to work. They deliver not only a best in class professional service but also a personalised service that works for, and with, you every step of the way.

Whether I am looking for an interim or a permanent role I have only ever had CV’s from them that I instantly want to progress to interview and most often to offer. I don’t hesitate to recommend them for all your recruitment needs.

Head of NPD

1/17

I have recently worked with Emma at True North Talent to secure my current role and I couldn't be more grateful for all her support and professionalism. For one reason or another my recruitment process was longer than anticipated but thanks to Emma the whole experience was stress free, ensuring continuous communication with myself and the hiring business throughout.

Emma is extremely personable and a pleasure to work with, if ever I am searching for a new job, True North will be the first place I turn to.

Commercial Account Manager

1/17

I highly recommend True North Talent! Emma found me via LinkedIn, and I had a great experience working with her; she supported me through each stage of the recruitment process and helped me to secure a role I am now very excited to start.

Thank you Emma!

Procurement Manager

1/17

I recently had the pleasure of working with both Amy and Emma to secure my new role and they were fantastic from start to finish.

In preparation for my interviews they were good at telling more about the process and people who I was meeting and upon receiving my offer they were really easy to work with on ensuring it was best for both parties.

National Account Manager

1/17

I’ve worked with Emma for many years across several assignments and she is always true to her word, operating at pace, maintaining total professionalism with trust and integrity.

Emma balances the requirements of the business whilst recognising the needs of the candidate too. Emma always maintains regular and prompt communication throughout each assignment and has the uncanny knack of always keeping your interests first and foremost.

Operations Director

1/17

I worked with Emma at True North Talent recently and she secured me my new role. The service and the professionalism from Emma was outstanding.

The role is exactly what I was looking for and I was kept me up to date and regularly checked in with throughout the entire process. Will definitely be using True North Talent again. Thanks Emma!

HR Business Partner

1/17

Emma was brilliant! Secured a fantastic role with an excellent company very quickly.

Highly Recommended - Thank-you.

NPD & Process Development Manager

1/17

What a fantastic service and support from True North Talent. Emma kept me updated throughout the recruitment process and most of all the support provided was second to none. I have dealt with many recruitment companies over the past few years and none have lived up to the services True North offer. They were professional throughout and most importantly kept it friendly and supportive.

A big thank you to Emma for helping me secure a dream job.

Head of Engineering

1/17

Working with Emma to secure my new position has been fantastic. From the beginning all the way through to starting my new role Emma has been engaging, easy to talk to and full of enthusiasm. Communication and industry knowledge absolutely first class.

If you have the chance to work with True North Talent, don’t let it pass you by.

Project Engineering Manager

1/17

Working with Emma was a good experience. She was quick to provide information and answers my calls or called back same day.

Factory Manager

1/17

Emma's Jobs

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Explore our latest market insights on all things food and drink manufacturing.

TECHNICAL

Technical Manager

Buckinghamshire, UK

c£70K - £75K

Permanent

Location: Home Counties/Buckinghamshire
Overview: True North Talent is partnering with a leading food manufacturer to recruit an experienced Technical Manager to lead the Technical function for one of their state of the art manufacturing and distribution sites. This is a senior leadership role for someone who is passionate about food safety, product quality and continuous improvement.

About You:
• Substantial experience in a senior Quality or Technical leadership role within food manufacturing
• Ideally degree qualified in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry or a related discipline
• Proven experience managing and developing quality or technical and compliance teams
• Strong understanding of food safety standards and regulatory compliance
• Confident leading audits and engaging with customers
• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Commercial awareness and strong organisational capability
• Motivated to build a high-performing quality culture
• Calm and solutions-driven when managing incidents

What will you be doing?
• Lead and develop the Technical team on the site.
• Drive food safety and regulatory compliance (HACCP, audit standards, pest control, sanitation)
• Oversee customer and third-party audits
• Manage customer complaints and CAPA processes, ensuring robust root cause analysis.
• Lead mock recalls and incident management processes
• Oversee quality documentation and customer certification requirements
• Manage and control the Technical budget
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across operations
• This role will involve regular travel between UK sites, particularly in the first year.

What can they offer you?
This is a fantastic opportunity to take ownership of the Technical agenda within a respected food manufacturing business, with real scope to shape standards, culture and performance. This is a hugely people focussed business who recognise hard work and truly invest in making the site a great place to work.

We are seeking applications from talented Technical Managers, Quality & Technical Managers, Quality Manager, Heads of Technical, Quality Leads, who live within Oxfordshire, Thames Valley, Reading, Swindon, Watford, Banbury, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, or the Home Counties.

How to Apply
If you have the desired qualifications and experience, please send your CV quoting re ES/TNT/2465 or call 0161 399 1575 / 07564 579301 for a confidential discussion.

True North Talent is recognised as a trusted supplier of permanent, contract and interim recruitment services to the food manufacturing and FMCG industries. Our teams of specialist recruiters operate across food manufacturing Operations Jobs, food manufacturing Engineering jobs, food manufacturing Technical jobs, food manufacturing NPD jobs, food manufacturing Supply Chain jobs and food manufacturing Commercial jobs. We may hold your data, as per our privacy policy detailed on our website.

We are only able to consider candidates who have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we can only contact successful applicants.

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