This is the senior quality authority on site. You own food safety, legality, and quality end-to-end across a high-throughput protein processing operation. When auditors walk in, customers call, or something goes sideways at 3am — this role carries the can.
You’ll set the strategy, lead a robust QA function, influence production at pace, and ensure the site operates to the highest standards while still hitting volume, yield, and margin targets. Commercial realism with zero compromise on safety. That’s the balance.
Key Accountabilities
Food Safety & Compliance
* Full ownership of site food safety and quality systems across raw, cooked, and/or further-processed protein.
* Maintain and continually improve BRCGS, retailer codes of practice, customer standards, and legal compliance.
* Act as the senior technical lead for all audits (BRC, customer, regulatory, internal).
* Ensure HACCP plans are robust, current, and lived on the factory floor — not just framed on a wall.
Leadership & Culture
* Lead, coach, and develop the QA and hygiene teams — building capability, accountability, and credibility.
* Be a visible presence on site, challenging standards where required and backing your team decisively.
* Drive a food safety culture where quality is owned by operations, not “policed” by QA.
Operational Influence
* Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and NPD to embed quality into decision‑making.
* Provide pragmatic, commercially aware risk assessments that enable the business to move forward safely.
* Lead root cause analysis on non‑conformances, complaints, and incidents — and ensure actions stick.
Customer & Stakeholder Management
* Primary technical interface with major retail and foodservice customers.
* Own customer complaints, investigations, and corrective actions from start to finish.
* Build confidence internally and externally through clarity, pace, and professional judgement.
Continuous Improvement
* Drive improvements in GMP, hygiene, traceability, allergen control, and CCP management.
* Use data to identify trends, reduce risk, and improve right‑first‑time performance.
* Stay ahead of regulatory change and evolving customer expectations.
What “Good” Looks Like
* Audits run smoothly, not heroically.
* Quality decisions are respected by Operations.
* Issues are fixed once, properly.
* Customers trust the site.
* The QA team feels led, not firefighting.
Candidate Profile
Essential
* Senior QA / Technical leadership experience within protein processing (meat, poultry, or similar).
* Deep working knowledge of BRCGS, HACCP, retailer standards, and UK food legislation.
* Proven experience leading teams in a fast‑paced, high‑risk manufacturing environment.
* Strong audit presence — calm, credible, and unflappable.
* Commercially grounded with the confidence to challenge senior stakeholders when required.
Desirable
* Experience working with major UK retailers.
* Exposure to multi‑protein or complex processing environments.
* Formal food safety or quality qualifications
#J-18808-Ljbffr