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- Tasks: Lead food safety and quality initiatives in a fast-paced production environment.
- Company: Join Pilgrim's Europe, a leading European food business.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, development opportunities, and a chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for continuous improvement and team development.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of food safety and quality, ensuring top standards.
- Qualifications: Experience in food manufacturing, HACCP knowledge, and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Department: Technical
Location: Ballymena
Direct Reports: QA Auditors
About the Role
We are seeking a motivated and experienced Food Safety & Quality Manager to lead food safety, quality and compliance activity within our production environment at Pilgrim's Europe, Ballymena. This is a key technical leadership role, responsible for ensuring products consistently meet customer, legal and company requirements, while driving strong performance against food safety and quality KPIs. You will lead quality systems, support new product development, manage audits and develop the QA team to deliver best-in-class food safety and quality standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, implement, maintain and continuously improve a HACCP-based Quality Management System, ensuring full due diligence and compliance.
- Coordinate and lead HACCP team activities.
- Ensure compliance with BRC, customer, third-party and legislative requirements.
- Support NPD and process development through specifications, artwork verification, shelf-life, reference samples and use-by schedules.
- Monitor cleaning, hygiene and housekeeping standards through factory audits, trend analysis and action planning.
- Manage corrective actions and control of non-conforming ingredients and finished product, including holds, rejects and returns.
- Oversee microbiological, shelf-life and chemical testing programmes, identifying trends and driving corrective and preventative actions.
- Manage customer complaints, investigations, serious incidents and follow-up actions.
- Develop, maintain and test the site Crisis Management System.
- Maintain site accreditations and implement additional standards required by customers or industry best practice.
- Produce daily, weekly and monthly quality KPI reporting for operations teams.
- Provide insight-led information to support problem-solving and continuous improvement.
- Liaise with customers and statutory bodies during audits and site visits, ensuring effective responses and close-out of actions.
- Lead, coach and develop QA Auditors in line with Pilgrim's Europe standards and expectations.
- Promote a culture of engagement, accountability and effective communication.
- Support training and development to build capability and resilience within the team.
- Manage performance, attendance and appraisals in line with company requirements.
- Lead by example in Health & Safety compliance and safe systems of work.
- Ensure COSHH assessments, risk assessments, training and incident investigations are completed and actioned.
- Maintain high standards of hygiene and housekeeping across all areas.
- Actively work to reduce environmental impact through waste, energy and carbon-reduction initiatives.
What We're Looking For
- Experience in a technical or quality leadership role within FMCG food manufacturing.
- Strong knowledge of HACCP, BRC standards, food legislation and food hygiene.
- Auditing experience with strong report-writing capability.
- Excellent communication, organisational and stakeholder-management skills.
- Proven people leadership and development experience.
- Third-level qualification in a relevant discipline.
- Advanced Diploma in Applied HACCP.
- Advanced Food Hygiene qualification.
- Project management or continuous improvement experience.
- Experience working directly with customers, auditors and regulatory bodies.
Values & Behaviours
Demonstrates ownership, integrity and determination, working collaboratively with discipline and humility to deliver practical results.
Why Join Pilgrim's Europe?
- Play a critical role in protecting food safety, quality and brand reputation.
- Work in a technically challenging, fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Lead and develop a skilled Quality team.
- Drive real, measurable improvements through continuous improvement.
- Competitive reward package and development opportunities within a leading European food business.
Interested? If you're passionate about food safety, quality excellence and leading teams to deliver consistently high standards, we would welcome your application. Apply now to join Pilgrim's Europe as Food Safety & Quality Manager and make a meaningful impact at our Ballymena site.
Food Safety & Quality Manager in Broughshane employer: Pilgrims Europe
Contact Detail:
Pilgrims Europe Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Food Safety & Quality Manager in Broughshane
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the food safety and quality sector, especially those who work at Pilgrim's Europe. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info that could help you stand out.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your HACCP and BRC knowledge. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented these standards in past roles. We want to see your passion for food safety shine through!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Think of examples where you've developed teams or led projects. We love candidates who can inspire others and drive continuous improvement in quality management.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining our team at Pilgrim's Europe.
We think you need these skills to ace Food Safety & Quality Manager in Broughshane
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Food Safety & Quality Manager role. Highlight your experience with HACCP, BRC standards, and any relevant qualifications. We want to see how your background aligns with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about food safety and quality. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or improved processes in previous roles. We love a good story!
Show Off Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves leading a team, make sure to showcase your people management experience. Talk about how you've developed others and driven performance in your past positions. We’re all about collaboration and engagement here at StudySmarter!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our company culture and values.
How to prepare for a job interview at Pilgrims Europe
✨Know Your HACCP Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of HACCP principles and how they apply to food safety. Be ready to discuss your experience in designing and implementing HACCP-based Quality Management Systems, as this will be crucial for the role.
✨Showcase Your Auditing Skills
Prepare to talk about your auditing experience, especially with BRC standards. Bring examples of reports you've written and how you've managed corrective actions. This will demonstrate your ability to ensure compliance and drive quality improvements.
✨Communicate Effectively
Since this role involves liaising with various stakeholders, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Think about how you can convey complex information simply, especially when discussing customer complaints or audit findings.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Qualities
Be ready to share examples of how you've led and developed teams in previous roles. Highlight your approach to coaching QA Auditors and fostering a culture of accountability and engagement, as this is key to the position.