Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager

The successful candidate will lead a technical team in the development and maintenance of quality and food safety systems to meet regulatory legislation, customer, and third-party standards. This involves providing technical support in areas of food safety and legal requirements as well as training for quality improvement projects.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Communication and People Management Skills: Managing the site QC team, developing a team of professional technicians, coordinating with all departments and managers, representing the team at site level, and influencing decision-making to ensure food safety and quality needs are being met.
• Department Management: Monitoring KPI targets and objectives for the department and wider company, ensuring effective measurement, interfacing with the innovation team for the successful launch of new products into production, reviewing technical information to view trending and analysis of same to take relevant actions where required to make improvements to the process, plant, and systems as necessary.
• QMS & HACCP Systems: Leading/co-leading the plants HACCP team, challenging processes food safety systems, maintaining and reviewing the plan as required, responsible for the implementation of the internal audit program to ensure quality system compliance, leading the team in external audits for food safety and quality audits for customers and governing bodies.
• Testing Programs: Ensuring raw material, process, and finished product evaluation and verification is completed as required within production, risk-assessing and ensuring the implementation of microbiological, chemical, and physical testing schedules in accordance with agreed programs, dealing with non-conformances (internal and external) and driving root cause analysis in a timely and comprehensive fashion, involving all relevant disciplines, and using learnings to drive continuous improvement.
• Supplier Management: Ensuring the supplier management process is maintained with detailed specification, risk assessment, audit, and approval records for all raw material, packaging, or miscellaneous suppliers, reviewing and evaluating suppliers to give feedback on performance and quality on a frequency that reflects their risk, size, and complexity, traveling to conduct supplier audits as necessary as part of new approval, ongoing review, or in response to issues.
• Customer Management and Service: Implementing and maintaining detailed specifications and quality standards for all finished products, knowledge of various software programs used by customers required, meeting with customers and representing the companies technical expertise when needed as part of customer service or as part of investigation of issues, assisting the business development team, helping to forge new relationships and build on existing ones.

• Diploma or Higher in Food Science Related Subject. 
• 4 Years + Experience in Similar Role in FMCG or Food Retail Environment. 
• Knowledge of BRC Standards Required and Preferably Familiarity of Cooking Processes and High Care Facilities. 
• People Management Experience an Advantage. 
• Lead Auditor Certification is Preferential. 
• HACCP Certification is Essential. 
• Proficient Written, Numerical, and Verbal Skills. 
• Numerical Ability to Record, Interpret, and Analyze Key Process Data. 
• Fluency in English Language. 
• Self-Starting Individual Capable of Clear Strategic View and Implementation. 
• Ability to Communicate Effectively with and Present to Customers, Stakeholders, Suppliers, Senior Management/Directors. 
• Understanding of Food Safety and Quality Management Systems. 
• Strong Knowledge of Food Legislation, BRC Global Food Standard, and Specific Customer Standards and Codes of Practice. 
• Good Interpersonal Skills and Ability to React Well Under Pressure. 
• Excellent Proficiency in MS Office Tools. 
• Demonstrate Flexibility and Adaptability. 
• Ability to Work Cross-Functionally, Meet Deadlines, and Build Effective Relationships. 
• Ability to Identify and Actively Plan Improvements.