Quality Manager - Sensory Evaluations and Taste Profiling

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure that products arrive and depart in accordance with quality and safety standards, conduct quality control inspections and provide QC Reports.
• Review and improve current procedures and conduct regular audits for SOP compliance.
• Monitor staff performance, providing guidance, and conducting essential training sessions.
• Investigate product quality issues, conduct root cause analyses, and raise Improvement Reports.
• Maintain a comprehensive filing system, complete daily QA checklists, and provide regular compliance reports.
• Enforce quality and cleaning standards, promptly addressing any deviations.
• Guide production teams, recommend improvements, and oversee the implementation of procedures.
• Conduct daily FIFO spot checks and assess safety risks, communicating findings to relevant departments.
• Identify training needs, foster a food safety culture, and train new employees.
• Perform sporadic production checks and follow through on HSE minutes, findings, and improvements.
• Track waste control, conduct cleaning inspections, and ensure strict adherence to product testing procedures.
• Communicate with the NPD department on a weekly basis to check on any new products being trialled and tested.
• Conduct sensory evaluations and taste profiling on all new and existing products including but not limited to basting sauces, table sauces, blended spices, mayonnaise various variants, cool drinks and fruit juices.
• Ensure batch consistency from original kitchen sample supplied by NPD through to batches supplied to all DCs nationally.
• Evaluate product consistency taking most common flavours into account such as – sweet, bitter, sour, salty, meaty (umami), cool and hot.
• Obtain updated kitchen sample from suppliers once the current retention sample reaches shelf life, conduct new evaluations on new samples provided vs batches delivered to DCs.
• Ensure availability of all product specification sheets.
• Key Skills:
• Analytical Thinking - Ability to analyse data for insightful decision-making in quality control processes.
• Attention to Detail - Meticulously focusing on specifics for thorough audits, documentation, and compliance.
• Effective Communication - Effectively conveying information to ensure seamless collaboration with teams and stakeholders.
• Quality Focus - Demonstrated commitment to maintaining high-quality standards in all processes.
• Leadership - Capable of leading and guiding production teams, providing support and recommendations.
• Problem-Solving - Taking proactive steps to identify risks, suggesting improvements, and solving quality-related issues.
• Understanding of SOP Implementation.
• Quality Control and Assurance.
• Health and Safety Regulations.
• Data Analysis and Reporting.
• Must have worked in kitchen environments to learn about cooking techniques and ingredients.
• Kept up with food trends, innovations, and advancements in sensory science.
• Knowledge of food ingredients and applications.
• Must have knowledge of recipe formulations and ingredient combinations.
• FSA Implementation and compliance.
• DC External Audit Results.
• Creation of training courses to address deficiencies in personnel or procedures.
• Perform as DC Contact for customer issues.
• Compile monthly quality reports.
• Occasional travel to DC's nationally.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the relevant field.
• Certified Food Safety Manager certificate/diploma - Speciality - Flavor sensory evaluations & Taste Profiling.
• Minimum 3 years proven experience as a QA Officer with Sensory evaluations and Taste Profiling experience.
• Understanding of further processing - Advantageous.
• Knowledge and understanding of poultry processing required.
• HACCP Certified and strong regulatory skills.
• Understanding of management principles and team concepts.
• Risk Assessment and process change control.
• Attention to detail, set priorities, and follows through.
• Understand Microbiology and food technology.