Senior Manager - food safety & quality in Bristol

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

We’re looking for a Food Safety & Quality Manager to join our Taste & Nutrition manufacturing facility in Portbury, Bristol. In this role, you’ll lead the site’s Food Safety and Quality agenda, partnering with the Plant Manager and site leadership team to protect our customers, consumers and our brand.

Our purpose-built factory at Royal Portbury Dock produces around 36,000 tonnes of dry powder blends and sauces each year. The portfolio includes meat and culinary technologies serving end-use markets such as prepared meals, appetisers and side dishes, savoury snacks, and meat, fish and poultry.

You’ll work closely with Operations, Engineering and Supply Chain teams to embed a strong quality culture, drive continuous improvement, and ensure we consistently meet internal, customer and regulatory standards. This is a visible leadership role where you’ll coach and develop colleagues, strengthen site capability through practical training, and bring teams together to solve issues early. You’ll focus on clear standards, strong processes and great communication—so the right products leave site every time.

What will you do?

• Lead and continuously improve the site Food Safety, Quality and HACCP systems, ensuring they are practical, effective and fully embedded.
• Own site standards for GMP, hygiene and factory conditions, and coordinate internal auditing programmes.
• Manage process controls, raw material and finished product testing, and product release to agreed specifications.
• Lead customer, third-party and regulatory audits, and ensure clear and timely follow-up actions.
• Investigate customer complaints and non-conformances, drive root-cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Provide clear monthly quality reporting with trend analysis for site leaders and frontline teams.
• Build quality capability across the site through coaching, training and positive role modelling.
• Lead and develop a high performing Quality team using consistent people management practices.
• Act as a key member of the site leadership team, contributing to decision-making, budgeting and KPI delivery.
• Escalate food safety or quality risks promptly and support major incident readiness and response.
• Co-ordinate and ensure the provision of timely and accurate information to customers.

What do you need to be successful?

• You’ll have a degree in Science or Engineering ideally combined with a Diploma in OHS/Environmental/Sustainability.
• Proven experience leading Food Safety and Quality in a manufacturing environment (ideally food), including HACCP, GMP and hygiene programmes.
• Comfortable in managing customer relationships.
• Strong working knowledge of customer and third-party standards and regulatory expectations, with experience leading audits.
• A collaborative leadership style—comfortable influencing across functions and building capability through coaching and training.
• Data-led problem solving and continuous improvement mindset (root cause analysis, CAPA, trend analysis).
• Excellent communication skills and confidence working with stakeholders at all levels.
• Skilled in developing standards and strategy, project and change management.
• Experience of Interpreting and executing to international standards.
• Additional language skills desirable.

If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we’d still love to hear from you. We value diverse experience and we’re committed to building a team where everyone can thrive.

Why join Kerry?

• Career development opportunities within a leading global player in sustainable nutrition.
• Competitive salary.
• Matched pension scheme up to 10%.
• Life Assurance.
• Employee benefit platform with discounts and offers for retailers online and offline, travelling, utilities and more.
• Employee Assistance Program, supporting your emotional, physical, nutritional and financial wellbeing.
• Inspiring People - Kerry's Global Recognition Program.
• Access to Udemy, a learning platform with 1000's of free courses.
• OurVoice, opportunity to share your feedback on the work environment every year.
• OurShare, Kerry share plan available to all employees, with option to enroll once a year.
• MyCommunity, have one day per year to volunteer for a worthwhile cause.

In Kerry we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.

Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit. We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kerry and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status or any other protected characteristic.