QA Manager

Job Summary:
Job Summary: The jobholder is responsible for the management of the QA team, factory technical processes and activities to ensure the site are continually manufacturing safe and legal product in accordance with all policies and procedures. Management of corrective actions, concessions and product quality through a close working relationship with the factory team. Working with the wider technical team to ensure that all legislative requirements, customer codes of practices and third-party audit requirements are understood and translated into the factory daily processes. This is a hands-on, factory floor based role.
Key Responsibilities:
Tasks will include but not be limited to the following:
* Management of the QA’s – 4 x direct reports with a requirement to work flexibly to coach, train and ensure all process are completed in accordance with the procedure.
* Auditing – GMP/hygiene/fabrication/QMS in line with the schedule and ensuring that all nonconformances are communicated and closed out.
* Control of non-conforming product, hold and reject communication, reject and disposal notes
* Management of the calibration schedule.
* Organisation of all laboratory and retained samples ensuring that all testing is completed in accordance with schedule and codes of practices.
* Overseeing the factory and ensuring that the facility is “audit ready” and working within all Gluten free and Vegan standards to produce safe and legal products. Ensuring that the HACCP plan, QMS, Integrity requirements are all fully installed into the daily working processes.
* Release of the factory for vegan and gluten free production and collation of the samples for testing
* External audit preparation and involvement in all customer, regulatory and third-party audits. Presentation of all associated work to include audits, calibration and traceability information.
* Ownership of metal detectors and checkweighers, scales and temperature probes.
* Coordination of the Pest Control contract and ensuring that all non-conformances are communicated and closed out. Recording of all actions as required in the documentation.
* Non-conformance close outs for all internal and external audits ensuring that all actions have a root cause and a sustainable long-term fix.
* Ownership of the date coding system to ensure all operational staff are fully trained
* Ensuring all factory paperwork is up to date and fit for purpose, filing is completed in accordance with procedures and available for all traceability exercises.
* Management of the daily taste panel.
* Involvement in all factory improvements ensuring that all new machinery is included in all glass registers, risk assessments
* Weekly (or monthly) complaints, micro and KPI meetings with the technical QA team and the factory team
* First line contact with the factory – this is a hands-on, factory role and presence in the factory, working with the QA’s and operational and engineering staff is essential
* Management of all goods in checks and raw material release, shelf life extensions / date life management
* Control of returned stock
* Communication of the overtime and laboratory budget
Key Skills
• BSc in Food Science or equivalent related discipline
• Significant experience within the food manufacturing industry
• Level 3 HACCP
• Knowledge of BRC and Retailer Code of Practice
• Computer literate with working knowledge of computer applications / Microsoft Office
• Management of people
• Audit Experience
• Well-motivated, flexible and able to work on their own initiative and as a part of a team.
• Excellent organisational skills
• Able to prioritise effectively to produce positive results
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work openly and collaboratively at all levels.
• Able to motivate and organise effectively.
• Flexible approach.
• Systems Driven
• Knowledge and desire to be present in the factory – this is not a “desk only job”
Our Referral Incentive:
Due to the high amount of interest that we receive for each of our roles unfortunately we cannot respond to each application individually, therefore if you do not hear back from us you have not been shortlisted for this role. Please continue to check our website for any other roles which may be of interest.
We offer a £500 referral if you introduce someone we place - see our website for details
We regret that this client is not prepared to sponsor work permit or work permit transfer applications. Candidates must be able to prove their eligibility to work in the UK