Food Quality Manager

Role DescriptionA Food Quality Manager is responsible for managing food quality, food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance across food production, processing, packaging, storage, and distribution operations. The role ensures products consistently meet established quality standards, customer specifications, food-safety requirements, and applicable regulations.Key responsibilities include:Developing and implementing food quality and food safety policies, procedures, standards, and management systems.Managing HACCP, GMP, traceability, allergen control, sanitation, food defense, and quality-assurance programs.Establishing quality specifications for raw materials, ingredients, packaging, production processes, and finished products.Conducting inspections, sampling, testing, verification, and quality assessments throughout production.Monitoring production processes to identify quality deviations, contamination risks, non-conformities, and process failures.Reviewing laboratory results, certificates of analysis, supplier documentation, product specifications, and quality records.Coordinating microbiological, chemical, allergen, environmental, and shelf-life testing programs where applicable.Investigating product defects, customer complaints, food-safety incidents, and quality deviations using root-cause analysis.Developing, implementing, and monitoring corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).Coordinating internal, supplier, customer, certification, and regulatory audits.Preparing audit documentation and monitoring corrective actions through completion.Managing supplier-quality programs and evaluating supplier compliance with food-quality and food-safety standards.Monitoring sanitation, hygiene, cleaning, pest control, environmental conditions, and facility standards.Managing product traceability, recall preparedness, mock recalls, product withdrawals, and incident-response procedures.Supporting product-release decisions and ensuring non-conforming products are properly controlled.Reviewing product labels, packaging information, specifications, and technical documentation.Supporting new-product development, production trials, process improvements, packaging changes, and equipment modifications.Developing and delivering food-quality and food-safety training for employees.Maintaining accurate inspection records, audit reports, laboratory results, CAPA documentation, complaint records, and compliance files.Monitoring quality KPIs, defect rates, customer complaints, waste, production losses, and other quality indicators.Using quality-management systems, laboratory information systems, digital inspection platforms, automated monitoring technologies, data analytics, and AI-assisted quality tools where appropriate.Monitoring changes in food regulations, industry standards, customer requirements, and emerging food-safety risks.Collaborating with production, R&D, procurement, engineering, warehouse, logistics, maintenance, sales, and management teams.Identifying opportunities to reduce defects, waste, contamination risks, customer complaints, and operational losses.Supporting continuous-improvement initiatives to enhance product quality, food safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.Promoting a strong food-safety culture throughout the organization.Continuously improving quality systems, food-safety performance, regulatory compliance, process reliability, and product consistency.QualificationsBachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Quality Management, or a related field.Strong knowledge of food-quality management, food safety, HACCP, GMP, sanitation, hygiene, traceability, and quality-control systems.Understanding of microbiological, chemical, physical, allergen, and other food-safety hazards.Familiarity with ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF, HACCP, GMP, and relevant food-safety regulations.Strong knowledge of quality-control methodologies, inspection, sampling, testing, specifications, and CAPA.Strong analytical, investigative, problem-solving, and root-cause-analysis skills.Knowledge of internal audits, supplier audits, customer audits, certification audits, and regulatory inspections.Strong understanding of product traceability, recall management, allergen control, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and food defense.Familiarity with laboratory testing, microbiological analysis, chemical analysis, and shelf-life assessment.Strong documentation, reporting, communication, leadership, and stakeholder-management skills.Ability to develop and deliver food-quality and food-safety training.Familiarity with digital quality-management systems, laboratory software, data analytics, automated monitoring, and AI-assisted quality technologies is advantageous.Ability to work effectively with production, R&D, procurement, engineering, logistics, suppliers, laboratories, customers, and regulatory authorities.Relevant qualifications such as HACCP, PCQI, ISO 22000, BRCGS, SQF, Lead Auditor, or equivalent certifications are advantageous.Strong attention to detail, integrity, accountability, and professional judgment.Strong commitment to food safety, consumer protection, regulatory compliance, product quality, and continuous improvement.