Food Safety and Quality Leader

Job Title

Food Safety and Quality Team Leader (FSQ Team Leader)

Department

Rich Sauces

Responsible To

Technical Manager

Job Role And Purpose

Reporting to the Technical Manager, the Food Safety and Quality Team Leader is responsible for leading, supporting, and developing the QA team to ensure site-wide compliance with all relevant quality and food safety legislation and standards. The role will support and assist in ensuring all aspects of operations are carried out to exact specifications including maintaining an audit-ready quality management system with a strong emphasis on high standards of product safety, quality, and compliance across the site. Responsibilities when absent: The FSQ Team Leader will deputise for the Technical Manager.

Core Tasks And Responsibilities

1. Responsibility for working safely without risk to self or colleagues, ensuring adherence to all mandatory Site Health and Safety and PPE controls, as per the requirements of the departmental roles and tasks. Ensure full participation in relevant H&S training.
2. Responsibility for Food Safety and Quality system audits and inspections of Site and ancillary facilities and processes, ensuring compliance with all relevant Solina Group Technical, food safety legislation, Customer, Third party (BRC, ISO14001 and RSPO standards).
   • Provide support to the Technical Manager with external audits
   • Provide support to the Technical Manager in the review of site's QMS to align with site's standards and Solina Group Technical integration plan.
3. Lead and Manage Technical Team to ensure the highest standards of product safety, quality, and compliance across the site including:
   • Provide proactive support and develop competencies of the team.
   • Manage and monitor Technical/QA Team's training Matrix
   • Lead Team briefs
   • Organise the day-to-day work for the Technical/QA team
   • Provide support to the Technical Team with all work-related queries
   • Manage team's attendance including conducting return to work interviews as required and ensuring appropriate cover is provided for the department
   • Manage team's performance (including organising and conducting regular performance reviews and 1-2-1 meetings)
4. Develop and implement quality improvement strategies and initiatives collaborating with cross-functional teams. Identify areas for improvement in processes, procedures, and product quality to enhance overall food safety, quality and efficiency. Promote a culture of continuous improvement utilising the Solina lean manufacturing toolkit.
5. Provide proactive support to the Operational Team by ensuring all products and materials meet legal requirements and adhere to BRC standards, as well as customer specifications.
   • Promote and protect Site's standards and product integrity through detailed monitoring and auditing of systems.
   • Monitor and evaluate product safety and quality: Oversee production process, from raw materials to finished goods including conducting regular inspections, checks, and audits to identify any deviations from food safety and quality standards.
   • Actively participate and contribute to all relevant operational meetings
6. Monitor and manage Site's Food Safety & Quality activities and training including:
   • Pest Management; Traceability; GMP; Sensory (Organoleptic); Allergen; Hygiene; Non-conformances; CAPA; Customer complaints; Product and enviro testing programme; CCP's. Including monitor performance through regular trend analysis where applicable.
7. Work collaboratively with Research & Development and Specification Technologist to support Production with new product launches.
8. Provide guidance and training to employees on Food Safety and Quality awareness fostering a culture of food safety and quality-consciousness across the Operations team and the wider Solina Group.
9. Participate in ad hoc projects as per Department needs
10. In addition to the duties outlined above, the post holder will be expected to carry out any other reasonable tasks as required necessary by the Technical Manager to ensure the smooth running of the department.

Knowledge, Skills and experience required Essential

• Third level qualification in a food science related discipline/or equivalent experience
• Working knowledge of and experience in BRC, ISO and RSPO audits within a food manufacturing environment
• Accreditation to minimum HACCP Level 2, and/ or Food Safety Level 2
• Proficient in Managing Customer's Technical Portals (e.g. Erudus, Opri, etc)
• Strong IT Skills. Proficient in MS Office
• Ability to demonstrate leadership skills and influence team engagement within a quality culture.
• Excellent professional communication and people skills across all levels within the business.
• Demonstrate proactive initiative and ownership
• Strong organisational and time-management skills
• Health and safety awareness within the workplace.
• Ability to work analytically and with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to achieve ambitious deadlines within a fast-paced environment.
• Flexibility in working hours to meet occasional factory support requirements.

Desirable

• Previous experience managing and developing a team
• Experience of Sage 200 in a production environment
• Working knowledge of continuous improvement tools