Lead QA Manager

Lead QA Manager

Full-Time 45000 - 55000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Avara Foods Ltd

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the Quality Team to ensure food safety and compliance in a dynamic environment.
  • Company: Avara Foods, a leading UK food business with a focus on quality and innovation.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, 31 days holiday, pension scheme, and employee discounts.
  • Other info: Opportunities for long-term career development and a supportive work culture.
  • Why this job: Join a forward-thinking team and make a real impact on food safety and quality.
  • Qualifications: Food-related qualifications and experience in quality management required.

The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.

About the Role: You may not have heard of us, but there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed our products. Avara Foods is one of the UK’s leading food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to the country’s major supermarkets and well-known restaurants. We own and manage our entire supply chain, from farms to factory and all the way to the customer door – meaning we have careers that cover a whole range of functions. We have major processing sites across England and Wales, and an agricultural network of over 350 farms, spanning from North Yorkshire to the South Coast and Wales.

A little about our Wednesbury site: Our advanced manufacturing site in Wednesbury, West Midlands, is our newest advanced manufacturing site, and we’ve invested around £4.7 million into state-of-the-art facilities. The site is a flagship Added Value centre for Avara, employing over 150 talented individuals who help to supply some of the UK’s largest supermarkets and popular restaurants.

Are you passionate about Product Safety and Quality? Looking for a new challenge? Do you have experience or qualifications in Quality Management? As an inclusive, forward-thinking business, we take pride in our approach to quality across Avara Foods and are looking for a highly competent and motivated Lead Quality Manager to join our Quality Team, based at our Wednesbury site. The role is predominantly office-based, and the factory environment is a fast-paced, dynamic FMCG environment which is noisy and refrigerated in some areas, manufacturing short shelf life products where hygiene standards are critical. As a Lead Quality Manager you’ll be working Monday to Friday 08.00-17.00.

What will you be doing as a Lead Quality Manager at Avara? You’ll manage the site Technical function to ensure legal compliance, food safety, and adherence to customer specifications.

What will your key responsibilities include?

  • Ensure that Quality Managers are effectively recruited, inducted, trained and managed.
  • Ensure that team development is in line with talent needs defined by the business technical function.
  • Support external audits e.g., BRCGS, Red Tractor, retailer.
  • Ensure that internal audit schedules are maintained and audits are completed.
  • Communicate audit corrective actions plans to relevant personnel and ensure non-conformances are signed off within agreed time scales.
  • Provide Operations with Technical monitoring and auditing to ensure that customer requirements are understood and achieved.
  • Review frequency of non-conformances to identify longer term corrective action plans.
  • Review specifications for all products, packaging and ingredients and ensure that all versions are current and meet customer specifications.
  • Involved in and coordinating the investigation of customer complaints of a technical nature and ensure findings and action plans are completed and communicated both internally and externally.
  • Support the effective relationships with both internal and external customers including during site visits.
  • Provide an effective link between NPD and production ensuring that new or changed products, processes and packaging are effectively introduced.

What you’ll need to be successful:

  • Food related HND, Advanced Food Safety Level 4 and Advanced HACCP Level 4.
  • Internal auditing qualification.
  • Experience of BRCGS or ISO 9000.
  • Leadership skills and experience of motivating teams.
  • Ability to communicate verbally and in writing at all levels.
  • Knowledge and experience of major retailers.

The benefits of working for Avara Foods:

  • Competitive Salary
  • 31 days holiday allowance
  • Secure contract with long term career development opportunities.
  • Straight forward pension contribution of 6%.
  • Life assurance scheme.
  • Staff sales at hugely discounted prices.
  • Cycle to work scheme.
  • Salaried Advance Finance.
  • Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme.
  • Access to our Employee Benefit Scheme, which includes unlimited remote GP appointments and unlimited mental health sessions, physiotherapy sessions, medical second opinion consultation, and other discounts and perks, such as savings.

Lead QA Manager employer: Avara Foods Ltd

Avara Foods is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work environment at our state-of-the-art Wednesbury site. With a strong focus on employee development, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits package including life assurance and access to health services, we are committed to fostering a culture of growth and well-being. Join us in delivering quality products while enjoying the advantages of working for one of the UK's leading food businesses.
Avara Foods Ltd

Contact Detail:

Avara Foods Ltd Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Lead QA Manager

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Avara Foods. LinkedIn is your best mate here – connect, engage, and don’t be shy to ask for informational chats. You never know who might put in a good word for you!

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research Avara Foods, their products, and their quality standards. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs, especially around food safety and quality management.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your leadership skills! As a Lead QA Manager, they’ll want to see how you motivate and manage teams. Think of examples from your past where you’ve successfully led a team through challenges or improved processes.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining Avara Foods and being part of their mission.

We think you need these skills to ace Lead QA Manager

Quality Management
Food Safety
HACCP Level 4
Internal Auditing
BRCGS
ISO 9000
Leadership Skills
Team Development
Technical Monitoring
Communication Skills
Customer Relationship Management
Problem-Solving Skills
Specification Review
Complaint Investigation

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Lead QA Manager role. Highlight your experience in quality management and any relevant qualifications, like your food-related HND or auditing qualifications. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to express your passion for product safety and quality. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or managed quality processes in the past. Let us know why you're excited about joining Avara Foods!

Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a Lead Quality Manager, you'll be managing a team, so make sure to highlight your leadership experience. Talk about how you've motivated teams in previous roles and how you plan to develop talent within our Quality Team at Avara.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smooth application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and keep track of it. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team at Avara Foods!

How to prepare for a job interview at Avara Foods Ltd

✨Know Your Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of food safety and quality management. Familiarise yourself with BRCGS standards and ISO 9000, as these are crucial for the role. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you're serious about the position.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As a Lead Quality Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and motivate teams. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully managed a team or improved processes. This will help you stand out as a candidate who can drive results.

✨Prepare for Scenario Questions

Expect questions that ask how you'd handle specific situations, like dealing with non-conformances or customer complaints. Think through potential scenarios and your responses ahead of time, so you can showcase your problem-solving skills during the interview.

✨Ask Insightful Questions

At the end of the interview, don’t forget to ask questions! Inquire about the company's approach to quality management or how they support team development. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if Avara Foods is the right fit for you.

Land your dream job quicker with Premium

You’re marked as a top applicant with our partner companies
Individual CV and cover letter feedback including tailoring to specific job roles
Be among the first applications for new jobs with our AI application
1:1 support and career advice from our career coaches
Go Premium

Money-back if you don't land a job in 6-months

>