Deputy Quality Manager

C&D Foods is one of Europe's leading own label pet food manufacturers producing a range of wet and dry pet foods. C&D Foods has grown to become one of the industry's leading pet food producers. C&D Foods has 9 production facilities across 7 Countries (Ireland, the UK, France, Denmark, Austria, Spain, and The Netherlands) and 2 sales offices located in Manchester and Italy.C&D Foods' Headquarters is in Mullingar, county Westmeath. At our C&D Foods site in Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford we have a requirement for passionate Deputy Quality Manager to join our team and continue to ensure exceptional product quality. Role Overview Provide support to the Quality Manager in leading and maintaining the Food Safety and Quality Management systems across the site. The Deputy Quality Manger will play a key role in ensuring compliance with all legal, customer, and company standards, driving continuous improvement, and supporting cross-functional teams to uphold high standards. Key Responsibilities Assist the Quality Manager in overseeing the implementation, maintenance, and continual improvement of the site's Quality Management System (QMS) and Food Safety Management System (FSMS), including HACCP and GMP. Act as a key contact for Accreditation audits, Regulatory audits, Customer audits and Regulatory inspections. Lead the Quality Team in the absence of the Quality Manager, ensuring smooth day-to-day operation. Conduct internal audits and support investigations into non-conformances, customer complaints, and product issues. Collaborate with Production, Engineering and R&D teams to maintain and improve product quality. Assist in managing traceability system. Own and manage site Pest Control Program: Liaise with external pest control contractor to ensure effective monitoring and resolution of pest activity. Ensure pest control compliance with customer, legal, and certification requirements. Lead site training and awareness on pest prevention for relevant personnel. Own and manage site Cleaning and Hygiene Programme: Liaise with external cleaning contractors to ensure effective cleaning and hygiene standards. Ensure effective cleaning schedules, methods, and documentation. Validate cleaning processes through swabbing. Conduct regular hygiene inspections and cleaning audits of production and support areas. Lead, manage, and develop a team of QA's (x4) across the site: To include recruitment and selection, training and development and performance monitoring. Assist with the development and participate in site Food Safety Culture and Food Defence activities. Key Relationships Quality Manager General Manager Production Manager Maintenance Department R & D Department QA Technician Team Personal Competencies Excellent communication, interpersonal skills and presentation skills. Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities. Leadership skills with the ability to motivate and support a team. Well-organized with good time management and the ability to multitask under pressure. Professional Requirements Degree qualification in Food Science or related discipline. Minimum 5 years' experience in a quality role within the food manufacturing industry. Strong working knowledge of HACCP, food safety legislation and GFSI schemes (BRCGS). Strong working knowledge of key retailer standards. Competent in root cause analysis, risk assessment, and continuous improvement tools. Proficient in Microsoft Office and quality management systems. Internal Audit Training. Career Prospects The potential to be the successor for the role of Quality Manager. To be considered for this role you will be redirected to and must complete the application process on our careers page. To start the process, click the Apply button below to Login/Register.