Recruitment Room Team
Quality Assurance Manager
Job Description
Quality Assurance Manager
Position Reports to: Sales & Procurement Director
Location:: Paarden Eiland
Contract Type: Permanent (with a 6-month probation period)
Working Hours: 08:00 – 17:00 (hours may fluctuate; weekends and overtime as per operational requirements)
About the Company: Seafood distribution
Job Purpose:
- Develop, update, improve, implement, and maintain Food Safety and Development systems.
- Oversee the development of new products from concept to launch.
Qualifications Needed:
- Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a similar field.
- Computer and computerized Food Safety program literate.
Experience/Skills Required:
- 5-10 years of progressively responsible experience in quality assurance or a related field.
- 5-7 years of experience in a leadership role, managing teams and overseeing quality assurance processes.
- Strong knowledge of risk management, risk identification, and risk-based testing.
- Experience with regulatory compliance issues and working with NCRS.
- In-depth knowledge of food safety programs (e.g., FSSC22000, ISO22000, BRCS, IFS, SANHA).
- Familiarity with industry standards and regulations.
- Experience in the seafood industry is advantageous.
- Experience with continuous improvement practices and industry-recognized best practices is advantageous.
- Minimum intermediate MS Office skills are required.
Key Personal Attributes & Competencies:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Able to effectively communicate with staff at all levels.
- Team player.
- Ability to conduct research and analyze data.
- Honesty, Integrity & Reliability.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Critical thinking capabilities.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment in decision making.
- Apply urgency to all tasks, ensuring prompt fault reporting and problem resolution.
- Self-motivated and confident; capable of working with little supervision.
- Strong multitasking abilities.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
- Good time management skills.
- Must have own transport.
Key Responsibilities:
Day-to-Day Requirements:
- Ensure product quality aligns with customer expectations.
- Maintain adherence to national and international standards.
- Conduct GMP checks and address findings promptly.
- Provide technical expertise for defect identification.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Staff Management:
- Oversee Quality staff across all cold stores and shifts.
- Ensure proper performance and documentation by Quality Controllers, identifying training needs as required.
- Monitor staff performance and generate statistical reports.
New Product Development & Artwork Approvals:
- Lead product development from concept to launch.
- Source ingredients for new products.
- Coordinate the development and approval of artwork and labels.
- Manage retail and food service artwork and label approvals.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Collaborate with marketing and design teams to ensure compliance.
- Review existing artwork for compliance.
Specifications:
- Draft and maintain specification reports.
- Review and amend specifications annually or as needed.
Regulatory Compliance:
- Interpret and apply all industry-related standards, regulations, and Codex Alimentarius.
Food Safety Review Requirements & Audits:
- Develop, implement, and maintain a robust Food Safety Management System (HACCP, GMP, Operational PRPs, TACCP, VACCP, MSC, etc.).
- Ensure readiness for third-party audits and address non-conformances raised during audits for all cold stores.
- Lead food safety meetings and audits, ensuring third-party audit readiness.
Quality & Product Compliance:
- Liaise with retail, wholesale, key accounts, and food service regarding quality standards and assist with evaluations as required.
- Ensure all quality-related reports (inbound and outbound) are completed promptly.
- Analyze and review trend analysis, providing feedback on client, customer, and consumer complaints and non-conformances.
- Implement corrective and preventative measures where required.
- Conduct benchmarking exercises and manage product recalls if necessary.
- Serve as a technical liaison between various stakeholders (e.g., regulatory bodies and the company).
- Conduct risk assessment audits and inspect consignments.
- Conduct supplier visits and audits for compliance.
- Review and address complaints and non-conformances.
- Provide feedback on trends and corrective measures.
Implementation and Management of Computerized Quality Control and Food Safety Program:
- Lead the implementation, structuring, and maintenance of a computerized safety program, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Possess a basic finance background to manage departmental budgets.
