QA Team Manager

Role: QA Team Manager

Type: Permanent

Location: Grimsby, Estate Road

About Us: We are a company that takes pride in our people as it is our people who are at the centre of everything that we do. We have multi-category expertise with a focus on quality and innovation. We deliver what customers need and consumers want with expert taste and a growth mindset. Our business began with meat, and we've developed and extended a market-leading expertise within Seafood, with unmatched quality globally. We're always investing in new technology to deliver more value, efficiency, and consumer-led innovative solutions.

What We Are Looking For: We are looking for a professional and experienced QA Team Manager to support the Site Technical Manager and Deputy Technical Manager in the delivery of safe and legal products, and to deputise in periods of absence. To maintain and continually improve the site Technical strategy and the Technical standards set by Hilton Food Group and our retail customers and to embed and drive the Quality Culture across the site.

Key Responsibilities as a QA Team Manager will be to:

• Deputise for the Deputy Technical Manager during periods of absence and with ad hoc contact with the retail Technical Managers during this time, responding in a timely manner to their requests.
• Ensure through the QA and factory teams that the factory Technical systems and controls are fully implemented and verified across the site.
• Write, update and cascade the factory QMS system across the site(s) as cascaded by the Site Technical Manager and Quality Manager (Days).
• Direct management, coaching and development of the QA’s and QA supervisor supported with clear development plans.
• Direct coaching of the production team to drive and support a continuously improving quality culture across the organisation that supports a clear ‘one team’ approach across the related ways of working.
• Knowledge and consistent use of the incident management system/ Site alert system, supported with root cause analysis to drive robust preventative action plans.
• Generation of the audit schedules that drive ‘VALUE ADDING’ Compliance and GMP audits that demonstrate both compliance and continuous improvement to site quality, GMP and food safety standards across the site. Results and action plans to be clearly cascaded across the factories.
• Monitor routine QA records for trends with the demonstrated use of Root cause analysis to minimise reoccurrences.
• Support in the update, approval and issuing of internal specifications for both new and existing products.
• Development and maintenance of technical training materials and associated team training matrices.
• Management of Pest Control ensuring all points are escalated and addressed as required.
• Part of the sites HACCP, TACCP and VACCP teams.
• Implement the relevant customer codes of practice, ensuring the internal ‘ways of working’ accurately reflect them.
• Manage and lead all ‘out of spec’ micro investigations as directed by the Technical Operations Manager, implementing robust plans that tackle the root cause(s) of the issue and actively driving measurable improvement.
• Ensure KPI’s and Technical metrics are communicated and implemented across the site.
• Work on specific projects as and when required to support the Technical Operations Manager.
• Drive the implementation of clear QAS standards across the site that drive quality, reduce waste, and improve control.
• Deliver Technical SOP’s to Operations and ensure competency assessments are in place to verify understanding.
• Sustained use of on-site systems for capturing all non-conformances, highlighting repeat failures and using root cause analysis to implement robust preventative action plans.
• Follow up of Technical incidents, RTM’s, complaints etc., with detailed investigation responses sent to the Technical Manager, supported with both action/preventative plans.
• Clear documented factory trial reports issued to both NPD and Site Technical teams with action plans and clear follow up and closure of actions.
• Support all customer and third-party audits within the factory and subsequent documentation/traceability challenges.
• Drive the Quality Culture through Quality near miss reports and WIBITS.
• Attend the relevant DRM’s ensuring issues are highlighted for robust corrective and preventative actions.

Required Experience/Expertise to Succeed as a QA Team Manager will include:

• Proven track record for developing, leading and motivating high performing teams.
• Extensive experience in proactive QA team management and able to draw on this experience to drive the department forward.
• Experience in Technical systems implementation and development that demonstrates continuous improvement.
• Broad experience gained working with the major retailers and a trusted and earned reputation for absolute integrity.
• Ability to simultaneously manage numerous projects and workstreams.

What You Get in Return: Great package with competitive holiday allowance, life assurance of a minimum of two times yearly salary, opportunities for development and internal promotion, staff shop, share save scheme, free car parking on site, enhanced maternity/paternity.