Quality Assurance Manager

Key Responsibilities

1. Quality Management System (QMS)

• Lead, implement, maintain, and continuously improve the Integrated Management System (IMS).
• Ensure compliance with applicable international standards including ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, HACCP, GMP, ISO 14001, ISO45001, customer-specific requirements, and relevant food contact regulations.
• Develop, review and maintain quality policies, procedures, work instructions, specifications and standards.
• Lead Management Review meetings and monitor Quality Objectives and KPIs.
• Coordinate internal, customer, certification, and regulatory audits.

2. Manufacturing Quality Assurance & Process Control

• Lead all Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities across incoming, in-process and outgoing inspections.
• Establish inspection plans, control plans, quality standards and acceptance criteria.
• Monitor manufacturing quality performance and drive continual improvement initiatives.
• Work closely with Production and Engineering to improve process capability, reduce variation and enhance product consistency.
• Drive Statistical Process Control (SPC), Process Capability Analysis, First Pass Yield improvement and defect reduction.
• Review and approve First Article Inspection (FAI), product qualification and process validation activities.

3. Customer Quality Management

• Lead customer complaint investigations and ensure timely resolution.
• Drive Root Cause Analysis using structured methodologies such as 8D, Fishbone, 5 Why, Fault Tree Analysis and Pareto Analysis.
• Ensure effective implementation and verification of Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA).
• Act as the primary quality representative during customer visits, audits and technical discussions.
• Monitor customer satisfaction, complaint trends and improvement initiatives.

4. Supplier Quality Management

• Develop supplier qualification, approval and performance monitoring programmes.
• Lead supplier audits and supplier quality improvement initiatives.
• Define incoming inspection standards and supplier acceptance criteria.
• Collaborate with Procurement and suppliers to resolve material quality issues.
• Monitor supplier quality KPIs including defects, complaints and on-time corrective actions.

5. Regulatory Affairs & Product Compliance

• Ensure compliance with applicable food packaging regulations, customer specifications and international regulatory requirements.
• Manage product compliance documentation including Declaration of Compliance (DoC), migration studies, material certifications and technical documentation.
• Support regulatory submissions and customer compliance requirements.
• Monitor changes in regulatory requirements and ensure timely implementation.

6. New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Partner with Product Development, Engineering and Sales during new product development.
• Establish quality requirements during product design and process development.
• Lead qualification plans, validation activities and production readiness reviews.
• Ensure robust process control during new product commercialisation.

7. Risk Management

• Lead quality risk assessments using FMEA, HACCP and risk-based thinking.
• Review Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEA, Control Plans and Quality Risk Registers.
• Identify emerging quality risks and implement preventive measures.
• Support Business Continuity and Product Safety programmes.

8. Continuous Improvement

• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen and Operational Excellence initiatives.
• Lead quality improvement projects aimed at reducing waste, improving efficiency and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Promote digitalisation and automation of quality processes.
• Utilize quality data analytics to identify improvement opportunities.

9. Quality Data & Performance Management

• Establish and monitor departmental Quality KPIs.
• Analyse trends relating to defects, scrap, customer complaints, supplier performance and process capability.
• Prepare monthly Quality Reports and Management Review presentations.
• Provide strategic recommendations based on quality performance data.

10. Team Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop Quality Engineers, Supervisors, Inspectors and Laboratory personnel.
• Establish succession planning and competency development programmes.
• Conduct performance evaluations and identify training needs.
• Foster a proactive quality culture across the organisation.

11. Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Product Development, Supply Chain, Procurement, Sales and Customer Service to achieve quality objectives.
• Support plant operational excellence initiatives.
• Represent Quality in cross-functional projects and strategic business initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Customer Complaint Rate
• Customer Complaint Closure Lead Time
• CAPA Effectiveness and On-Time Closure
• First Pass Yield (FPY)
• Internal Defect Rate
• Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
• Supplier PPM / Supplier Defect Rate
• Incoming Material Acceptance Rate
• Audit Findings and Closure Performance
• Regulatory Compliance (Zero Major Non-Conformance)
• Product Compliance Documentation Accuracy
• Training Completion Rate
• Quality Improvement Project Savings
• Customer Satisfaction Score

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Quality Management, Food Science, Materials Science or a related discipline.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance and Quality Management within manufacturing.
• Minimum 5 years in a managerial or leadership role.
• Experience in packaging, food packaging, consumer products or related manufacturing industries is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing Quality Management Systems and customer quality requirements.

Technical Competencies

• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, HACCP, GMP, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001.
• Good understanding of food contact packaging regulations and customer compliance requirements.
• Proficient in quality tools including SPC, FMEA, Control Plans, MSA, CAPA, 8D, Fishbone and 5 Why analysis.
• Strong understanding of supplier quality management and audit processes.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Experience in statistical analysis and quality reporting.

Leadership Competencies

• Strong leadership and people development capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strategic thinking with a customer-focused mindset.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive organisational quality culture.