Raw Materials Quality Assurance - Northwich

No Agencies Please

The Opportunity: Provide technical oversight of raw materials from supplier approval and specification through intake, storage, use and traceability. Assess material quality and food safety risks, support Stores and Operations with clear decisions, and keep raw material controls and records current. Escalate concerns promptly and prevent unsuitable or unapproved materials entering production. Part of HACCP and NPD reviews to manage raw materials movement and new materials prior to entering site and production areas.

Job Purpose:

• Support Stores in checking incoming material identity, supplier, batch, date, condition, packaging, vehicle hygiene, temperature where relevant and accompanying documentation against the approved specification and intake requirements.
• Assess deviations at intake, identify and hold suspect stock, collect evidence and recommend acceptance, conditional acceptance or rejection to the authorised decision maker. Record the rationale and ensure supplier non-conformances are raised and followed up.
• Determine suitable storage conditions and segregation for each material, considering temperature, shelf life, allergen status, contamination risk, odour transfer, pest vulnerability and compatibility with adjacent goods.
• Verify stock identification, rotation, date control, disposition of expired material and protection of opened or decanted ingredients.
• Monitor and audit use of materials for approved life, and assist in gaining extensions or documenting Technical authorisation.
• Carry out or coordinate sampling, visual and sensory assessment and specification checks for raw materials, including fruit where applicable. Assess ripeness, appearance, condition, damage, decay, foreign matter and other defined quality characteristics.
• Review trends in incoming quality, shelf life, defects and supplier performance. Agree practical improvement actions with Purchasing, Stores, Operations and suppliers through the appropriate Technical route.
• Ensure sampling and release decisions use approved methods, documented limits and appropriate escalation where results are uncertain or outside specification.
• Maintain the approved raw material specification register, obtain and review current supplier specifications and supporting evidence, and control versions, review dates, changes and approvals.
• Ensure register is maintained with site relevant information (GFSI accreditations)
• Check that key requirements are complete and accurate, including composition, allergens, origin where relevant, microbiological and chemical limits, physical standards, packaging, transport, storage, shelf life and intended use.
• Complete and maintain raw material allergen risk assessments and an allergen map for storage, handling, movement and production use. Assess cross-contact routes, shared storage or equipment and changes to ingredient or supplier before implementation.
• Communicate approved changes and risks to HACCP, labelling, Purchasing, Stores and Operations teams; escalate any inconsistency between a specification, label declaration or actual material.
• Plan and complete raw material traceability and mass balance exercises, including intake, stock transfers, usage, rework where applicable and finished product linkage across relevant sites or systems.
• Present traceability and mass balance in routine audits and where required.
• Reconcile quantities and batch records, investigate unexplained losses, gaps or substitutions, document results and corrective actions, and retest where necessary to demonstrate effectiveness.
• Support live incident investigations, withdrawals and recalls by rapidly identifying material batches, suppliers, stock on hand, usage and affected finished products.
• Contribute to and maintain raw material elements of TACCP and VACCP studies, considering supply chain access and security, substitution, adulteration, origin, authenticity, economic incentives and known fraud patterns.
• Review relevant legislation, regulatory and food safety alerts, authenticity intelligence, supplier notifications and emerging issues. Assess which materials or suppliers may be higher risk and advise the QAM and relevant teams of needed controls or reassessments.
• Trigger review of risk assessments, specifications, supplier approval and HACCP information when alerts, incidents, new materials, supplier changes or new evidence materially change the risk.

What will you bring:

Essential:

• Food manufacturing QA or Technical experience
• Understanding of raw material controls, GMP, allergens, specifications and traceability
• Accurate record keeping
• Confidence in risk-based decisions and cross-functional communication

Desirable:

• Bakery or ingredient experience
• HACCP training
• Experience with supplier assurance
• Internal auditing experience
• Knowledge of TACCP and VACCP
• Experience with mass balance
• Experience reviewing regulatory alerts

Shift Pattern:

Mon to Fri days with level of flexibility required to suit role requirements.