South Africa: Quality Manager (FMCG/Citrus) posted by Top Vitae

About the Role

Top Vitae is seeking an experienced Quality Manager to lead our FMCG/Citrus operations in South Africa. As a key member of our quality team, you will be responsible for designing and implementing a QMS that ensures compliance with global quality standards in natural ingredients operations. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to minimize the risk of non-conformities and customer claims/complaints.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to commercial team, external, and internal clients regarding industrial products
• Manage NC, customer claims, and lead Failure Analysis on the Natural Ingredients site
• Prepare KPI dashboards for all process lines and finished products (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Ensure Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), with analytical methodologies and equipment calibration (including central lab and services to other plant labs)
• Generate analytical network with certified external labs
• Generate adequate conditions of safety and care for the environment for laboratory collaborators
• Control and manage the budget for the local Quality area
• Lead, develop, and train the quality team and teams from other areas on technical issues and food safety
• Manage, validate customer specifications (technical and packaging) prior to production
• Guarantee that questionnaires, information requirements, platforms, from Clients requested, are answered in a timely manner
• Contribute to compliance with certified standards for quality, Food Safety, and Social Responsibility in the Quality Area
• Ensure compliance with plant procedures to ensure verifications are achieved. Train personnel accordingly. Communicate immediately to the Plant Manager if current regulations and requirements are not being complied with.
• Contribute to the achievement of established objectives (production volume, efficiencies, savings, etc.)
• Ensure the implementation, development, and compliance of the defined methodology
• Oversee the life cycle of direct and functional employees through the processes of attraction, manpower planning, recruitment, training, development, retention, and exit from the company.
• Ensure that activities within the plant are carried out under the Safety, Health, and Hygiene, Environment, and Quality standards.
• Ensure compliance with both global and local policies and procedures, proposing improvements to current processes when deemed necessary.
• Align and constantly update internal and external clients regarding technical adjustments, including new analytical techniques and the development of new products.
• Identify root causes and present solutions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement.
• Reduce deviations and improve efficiency.
• Provide information for decision-making.
• Correct deviations online and approve/disprove finished products.
• Ensure quality management is visible.
• Implementation of analytical quality to achieve results. Availability of certified external labs to assist when required. Efficient resource management. Effective teams with a sound understanding of quality requirements and processes.

Requirements

• Food manufacturing experience or Pharma essential
• Must have experience supervising or managing a team before
• Strong Quality and Food Safety systems background
• Quality Assurance experience
• Food Science/Technology/BSc with Chemistry, Biochem, or Micro/ND in Analytical chemistry or Biotechnology

Qualifications

• Completed degree in a relevant field (Food Science/Technology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or Biotechnology)

Salary & Benefits