Job Purpose:

A Technical / QA Manager is responsible for two production sites and the management of the Laboratory, Quality Assurance, Water and New Product Development.

There is strong focus on all the technical and quality aspects of beverage manufacture including quality systems and food safety. You’ll also be the one that ensures all processes meet legal and standard requirements.

Main Duties:

• To ensure that an adequate Quality Management System is maintained so as to prevent the production of substandard product and product recalls.
• Manage all technical aspects of new product development including specification management using customer systems such as My Core, Tesco Connect and others as well as internal specification and QAS management.
• Manage all technical visits and audits including where relevant uploading visit reports and corrective actions to the relevant customer technical systems.
• Review all artwork against specification and legislation for accuracy and legality before approval.
• To ensure that there are sufficiently qualified and competent people within the team to deliver the desired level of technical service.
• To provide guidance, appropriate training and mentoring to develop all staff in own departments and production.
• To ensure customer satisfaction and confidence with respect to food safety.
• To ensure statutory obligations, customer requirements, company policies with respect to Food Safety and Due Diligence are met and consistently applied.

• To ensure that procedures and methods are adequate to prevent contamination of product.

• To monitor and complete all relevant documentation that relate to quality, hygiene, the lab and water.
• To achieve Technical targets and to provide guidance to encourage others to achieve their targets
• Enforce adherence to the housekeeping standards expected by the company and its customers.
• Monitoring of direct reports time and attendance and initiate disciplinary action following the company disciplinary policy at all times.

• When required by senior management, carry out any other duties provided that adequate training and supervision is given where deemed necessary.

Additional Duties:

• Liaising closely with senior management, suppliers and customers.
• Supporting other company departments as required.
• Representing the business on all technical-related matters.
• Ensuring all staff are competent to do their jobs properly and able to develop in their roles

Key Responsibilities:

• Managing company hygiene, quality, NPD, water and laboratory activities.
• Managing the day-to-day activities of the quality department and leading and developing a team of quality assurance, water resource and hygiene staff.
• Ensure that work areas are kept organised and tidy.
• Abide by the strict hygiene and housekeeping requirements.
• Follow company Policies and Procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
• Ensure that Company Health and Safety Policies and Procedures are adhered to at all times.

Skills knowledge and attitude

• Communication and listening skills
• Negotiating skills
• Ability to liaise with internal and external personnel
• Meeting deadlines
• Smart and presentable
• Enthusiastic
• Self-motivating
• Flexible
• Attention to detail
• Able to embrace training
• Computer literate

Qualifications and training

• Food Safety Level 3
• HACCP Level 3
• ideally Lead Auditor but as a minimum Internal Auditor Trained
• To have previously been a QA Manager or Technical Manager for at least 3 years
• demonstrate working knowledge of raw material & packaging specifications
• Understanding of TACCP/VACCP
• Knowledge of retailer customer requirements in particular Tesco.
• Experience hosting Food Safety Audits and technical visits

Special requirements

• Current full driving licence
• Ideally (although not essential) an IOSH or NEBOSH qualification in Health and Safety.
• A background of working in ambient food or beverage production would be highly desirable.

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary Sacrifice Electric Car Scheme
• Performance Bonus
• Employee discount
• Company Uniform
• Free on-site parking
• Referral programme
• Wellness programme