Quality Systems & Implementation Manager in Essex

This isn't a Head of Quality role. There's no team to manage, no strategy to set from a distance. This is a hands-on position for someone who designs quality systems and then personally goes out and implements them with third-party manufacturers. We're recruiting on behalf of a fast-growing FMCG business working with ambitious, founder-led brands and major global names in their category. The team is small, highly skilled, and fast-moving - obsessed with doing things properly rather than ticking boxes. Think of it like being a consultant who happens to be technically excellent. You won't spend your days behind a desk running a system from afar. You'll be on-site with co-manufacturers, embedding the quality standards that mean production runs right the first time - and every time after.

The honest version: if you want to write policy and let someone else deliver it, this isn't for you. If you want to build a system and then be the person who makes it work on someone else's production floor, this is one of the most hands-on quality roles you'll find.

What you'll actually be doing:

• Designing quality systems from scratch, then personally implementing them at third-party production sites - not just auditing what's already there
• Building and maintaining a co-packer and supplier network, auditing and onboarding new production partners
• Ensuring co-packer processes align with agreed methods of manufacture - catching misalignments before they become batch failures
• Managing co-packer transitions, ensuring quality standards hold when production moves site
• Leading root cause investigations when something goes wrong, working directly with co-manufacturers to gather data and implement fixes
• Being physically present - attending trials, running investigations at co-packer sites, seeing implementation through rather than delegating it
• Keeping technical documentation current and audit-ready across every production partner

What you'll need:

• Proven experience designing quality systems, not solely auditing existing ones
• Genuine hands-on implementation background - you're comfortable being the one on-site making change happen, not managing it remotely
• Strong technical foundation in food/drink quality - HACCP, GMP, and relevant management system standards
• Confidence working independently across multiple third-party sites
• Willingness to travel regularly - this is where the job actually happens
• A problem-solving mindset: when something goes wrong, you already have a hypothesis before anyone asks

As you know over here at Zest we like to do things properly and always want to keep you, the candidate in the loop. Applying to this 'one of a kind' role you give Zest permission to hold your information. If you want to know more about how Zest look after your personal information please visit our privacy policy on the website http://www.zestfoodjobs.co.uk/privacy-policy/