SUMMARY
The Quality and Continuous Improvement (Q&CI) Manager is responsible for leading all quality assurance and continuous improvement initiatives within the plant. This role ensures that all products manufactured meet or exceed legal, regulatory, quality, and product safety standards—safeguarding our employees, customers, and brand reputation.
Working collaboratively across departments, the Q&CI Manager will harness data and operational insights from the shop floor to develop and implement a targeted continuous improvement roadmap. By applying lean methodologies and driving cross-functional engagement, the Q&CI Manager will cultivate a culture of data-driven operational excellence.
Key to this role is ensuring the right resources are in place to execute improvement initiatives effectively and on time, while continuously challenging the organisation to deliver high-quality products, on cost and on schedule, every time.
KEY ACTIVITIES
1. Quality management
* Manage and improve the quality management system in compliance with BRC and FSC, ensuring quality assurance processes are aligned with customer requirements and evolving industry regulations
* Lead root cause analysis and corrective action processes for internal, customer and supplier non-conformances, ensuring robust solutions are implemented in a timely manner to prevent reoccurrence
* Improve product quality and manufacturing process control by revisiting and improving the existing control plan and technologies used to ensure compliance
* Establish, monitor and act on KPIs, such as: # complaints, cost of non-quality, lead time to implement solutions
* Conduct audits (internal and supplier) to improve quality and product safety standards
* Deliver training on topics such as quality tools, methodologies, product safety and compliance
* Daily coaching on the shopfloor, to build connection with the team and foster a collaborative approach to quality and continuous improvement
* Data reporting at division and plant level
2. Continuous Improvement
* Lead and manage the development of the plant continuous improvement plan in collaboration with the leadership team, then ensure timely implementation
* Drive lean manufacturing, and 5S initiatives across production lines. Working in collaboration with the process engineer, engineering and production teams to develop machine operational standards (one-point lessons, centrelines, cleaning inspection and lubrication…) and then implement them
* Identify process inefficiencies and implement cost-saving and quality-enhancing improvements such as SPC, quality control automation…, through collaboration with the internal and external partners as well as observations of the day-to-day business
* Collaborate with R&D, production, and maintenance teams to support new product introductions and process changes (new machines, new materials, new technology…)
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Required:
* More than 3 years of experience in a quality manager role preferably in a FMCG company
* Bsc. Or Msc. in scientific or technical subject (Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing…)
* Proven capability in Problem Solving (8D, Green Belt Lean 6 Sigma, UPS, A3, …)
* Customer facing experience
Desirable:
* Degree/Diploma in Quality Management or Quality Assurance
* Qualified auditor for BRC / ISO 9001
* Lean Six Sigma Green Belt qualified or higher
* Experience in a fast-moving manufacturing environment
* Experience in the food packaging industry
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
* Ability to analyse complex sets of data quickly
* Ability to train people
* Knowledge of Food Product Safety Standards like BRC, HACCP, FSSC 22000
* Knowledge of ISO 9001 standards
* Excellent communication: written, spoken, visual
* Excellent computer skills: mainly Microsoft office and e-mail
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
* Curious and willing to learn and develop personal knowledge
* Self-driven person with a bias for action (grit and persistence)
* Strong cognitive and logical ability with a key eye for details
* Excellent customer focus
* Excellent team player with good interpersonal skills able to communicate at all levels
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
The position at Bradford is fully based on site and will require visits to customers, suppliers as well as our manufacturing plants in the UK and Europe, though this is not extensive.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, colour, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.