Job Title: QA Manager (Food Industry) - 12 month contract

Location: Kildare

About the Company: Our client is a leading food producer that supplies products to the retail and food service market. They are a well-established company with a reputation for quality and innovation in the industry.

Key Responsibilities:

Responsibilities associated with this role include, but are not limited to:
Communication and People Management skills
* Willingness to learn leadership and motivation skills
* Manage the site QC team and develop a team of professional technicians
* Coordinate with all departments and managers and represent the team at site level
* Influence decision making to ensure food safety and quality needs of the business are being met
* Ensure that the company is kept aware of legislative & customer constraints on the business, and any standards in terms of quality and food safety and integrity are adhered to Department Management
* Monitoring KPI targets and objectives for the department and wider company and ensuring their effective measurement
* Ensure effective communications of customer requirements to the operations team and ensuring their compliance
* Interface with the innovation team for the successful launch of new products into
production, and for product and process improvement projects
* Review of technical information to view trending and analysis of same to take relevant actions were required to make improvements to the process, plant and systems as necessary
* Champion the training and development of staff in the areas of food safety or quality, for example: Induction, hygiene & cleaning, food hygiene, HACCP, allergen awareness, taste panel training
* Assist with the implementation of plant wide process & quality system improvements, working with the relevant departments to ensure multi-disciplinary approach
* Recognise and implement opportunities for quality improvement in both manufacturing and business processes QMS & HACCP Systems
* Lead/ co Lead the plants HACCP team, challenging processes food safety systems and maintaining and reviewing the plan as required
* Ensuring that the procedures, process documentation and systems in use comply with customer and best practice requirements, maintaining and reviewing when driven by improvement, audit and customer requirements etc

Qualifications/ Skills/ Experience:

* Diploma or higher in a Food Science related subject
* 4 years + in a similar role in FMCG or food retail environment
* Knowledge of BRC standards required and preferably with 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 analyse key process data
* Fluency in the English language
* Self-starting individual, capable of clear strategic view and implementation
* Be willing to develop team management and leadership skills
* Ability to communicate effectively with and present to customers, Stakeholders (eg DAFM), 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 the ability to react well under pressure
* Excellent proficiency in the use of 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