Quality Manager

Salary: Starts from £45,000
Hours: Full time
Contract: Permanent
Location: Runcorn

Join AAK and enjoy a competitive salary, a generous bonus scheme, 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, a company pension, Life Assurance, Healthcare and more!

About AAK

AAK is proud to be the world's leading producer of specialty vegetable fats. Through our unique co-development approach, we develop and provide value-adding vegetable oil solutions in close collaboration with our customers, enabling them to achieve long-lasting business results.

By doing so, we solve customer specific needs across many industries including Bakery, Chocolate & Confectionery, Dairy, Foodservice, Infant Nutrition and Personal Care.

Our pioneering spirit and passion for innovation keeps us at the cutting edge of our industry and is what sets us apart. It enables our employees to work in a safe and supportive environment in which they make a genuine impact.

AAK employ more than 3,500 employees globally and with 20 production facilities and customisation plants, and sales offices in over 25 countries spanning six continents we have one of our industries most diverse global footprints.

AAK Runcorn

AAK Runcorn is the home to AAK Foods, a major manufacturer and supplier of sauces, condiments and dressings to the retail and foodservice sectors.

Our private label work has won awards for taste and quality, and our products can be found on the shelves of stores throughout the world.

From our site on Davy Road, to the east of the town centre, we work with customers to co-develop new recipes for grocery private label products, retail restaurants, quick service restaurants, foodservice and food ingredients.

About the role

AAK Foods are seeking to appoint a Quality Manager to join the Technical Team. The successful candidate will be responsible for raising quality and site standards and providing technical support across the business. The role reports directly to the Technical Manager and comes with a level of autonomy, allowing the successful candidate to develop the role.

Responsibilities

• Develop, create and implement quality systems, to ensure compliance of food safety and quality standards with AAK and customer requirements
• Conduct and coordinate internal audits and audit preparation, implement action to correct non-conformances.
• Lead site HACCP reviews.
• Manage and support Quality Auditors and Hygiene Operators assisting with their development.
• Conduct root cause and gap analysis to identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• Investigate 'out of specifications' for site, provide support and guidance on issues raised.
• Take responsibility for all quality control aspects of the process (pest control, testing, operations, environment testing, raw materials, consumable stocks, production, finished product or services).
• Coordinate traceability challenges for QMS and audits.
• Deputise for Technical Manager.
• Support development of the sites Food Safety Culture
• Develop and ensure that the sites requirements for its Hygiene Management system is met.
• Coordinate Quality meetings and training, participate in Quality Steering Meetings and representative meetings.
• Investigate customer complaints/quarantine incidents, determining root cause to mitigate recurrence
• Support the reduction of department costs and best practice development
• Trend KPIs and complaints, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement

About you

The successful candidate should have the following skills and experience:

• Experience of working in FMCG, in accordance with BRC requirements.
• A degree level qualification or similar
• A minimum of Level 3 Food hygiene and HACCP
• Strong experience of identifying areas for improvement and implementing change, policies and procedures.
• Able to effectively lead, manage and motivate a team.
• Pro-active approach to change management.
• Experience of leading and participating in audits and customer visits.
• Food Safety Culture development experience.
• Experience in creating quality systems and risk assessments.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with retailer codes of practice and specification portals.
• Strong professional relationship building experience across multiple departments and areas.
• Experience of completing GMP and Hygiene audits to a high level.

In return AAK offer:

• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• Company pension 3% Employee, 5% employer.
• UK Healthcare Scheme, Including Gym And Lifestyle Discounts
• 25 days holidays plus bank holidays.
• Bonus scheme.
• Life Assurance Cover
• Free Hot Drinks
• Free Parking Onsite
• On-Site Canteen Serving Hot Food
• Investment in training and development.

You may have experience in the following: Quality Assurance Manager, Food Safety Manager, Technical Manager, Compliance Manager, Quality Control Manager, HACCP Coordinator, QA Lead, Site Quality Manager, Food Quality Specialist, etc.

REF-215 763