Group Supplier Auditor

About New England Seafood International (NESI)

New England Seafood International (NESI) was established in 1991 and is an importer and processor of premium fresh and frozen sustainable fish and seafood. NESI employs circa 850 people across three sites in the UK and imports a wide range of wild and farmed fish and shellfish from all around the world. We are part of the Sealaska Corporation, an Alaska Native corporation owned by 26,000 Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian shareholders, who are all bloodline descendants of the first settlers to the Americas.

Our vision is to “show people how to enjoy fish every day” and we pride ourselves on our supply chain integrity, sustainable sourcing and high‑quality product. Our values run through our business and are Respect, Customer Care, By Learning We Grow, Team Spirit and Integrity.

Scope and Purpose of the Role

The Group Supplier Auditor will be responsible for evaluating and ensuring the compliance, quality, and performance of suppliers across NESI’s global supply chain. This role supports risk mitigation, continuous improvement, and alignment with GFSI standard, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.

• Operates across all NESI sites and our global supply chain.
• Engages with suppliers of raw materials (Fish, ingredients and packaging), components, services, and outsourced processes.
• Works closely with Procurement, Food safety, Planet and People, and Compliance teams.

Accountabilities

• Plan and execute supplier audits across our global supply base to ensure compliance with company standards, legal requirements, and industry regulations.
• Evaluate supplier performance in areas such as quality, safety, environmental impact, and ethical practices.
• Identify risks and non‑conformances and work with suppliers to implement corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate audit reports and documentation for governance and regulatory purposes.
• Collaborate with procurement, quality, and sustainability teams to align audit findings with business objectives.
• Support supplier onboarding by verifying compliance documentation and certifications.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the supply base to enhance integrity and resilience.
• Identify compliance gaps, safety risks, and integrity issues during audits.
• Recommend and monitor corrective actions to mitigate risk and prevent recurrence.
• Work with key stakeholders to confirm the supplier auditing plan using a risk assessment approach to determine the frequency of audits.
• Ensure all planned supplier audits are completed on time and in full, with comprehensive reports and actions raised and closed out within a suitable time frame.
• Communicate all audit results and follow up with recommendations if required.
• Represent NESI in the supply base.
• Carry out unplanned audits, due to supply chain issues.
• Maintain up‑to‑date records in the NESI supply base portal and ensure all associated actions are closed out in full.
• Escalate concerns to senior team members for resolution.
• Work closely with procurement and quality teams to align supplier compliance with operational needs.
• Support audits (including internal trace audits) and inspections by providing accurate data and documentation.
• Stay updated on compliance regulations, ethical sourcing standards and safety requirements.
• Participate in training sessions to enhance knowledge of governance and integrity practices.

Key Deliverables

• Primarily maintain compliance in the NESI supply base by completing all planned and unplanned audits at a frequency determined by risk assessment.
• Complete audit reports that meet NESI, customer and GFSI standards.
• Liaise with key stakeholders to complete all associated risk assessments and supplier performance KPIs based on knowledge gained in the supply base.
• Maintain strong communication with internal and external partners.

Experience, Knowledge and Capabilities

• A track record of working in a similar and fast‑paced food manufacturing environment, with experience working with suppliers.
• Strong communication skills.
• Good problem‑solving skills, with demonstratable experience in the investigation loop from start to finish, confident to escalations to internal and external customers.
• Well‑developed interpersonal, communication, assertiveness, and relationship‑building skills.
• Managing up and down across all stakeholders.
• Proven ability to consider differing viewpoints and propose decisions based on facts and the strategic direction of the business.
• Proven ability to partner with colleagues and customers.
• Time management – self‑starter.
• Must have a fully up‑to‑date passport and driving licence.
• Must have at least 3 years’ experience in a similar role, external auditing experience, and Lead auditor qualifications.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Management and Manufacturing

Industry

Food Production

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at New England Seafood by 2x

Get notified about new Supplier jobs in New Waltham, England, United Kingdom.