Quality Assurance Manager - Epping Rice Plant

We are PepsiCo

PepsiCo is proud to be one of the world’s leading food and beverage companies. Every day, we are dedicated to bringing our mission to create more smiles with every sip and every bite to life. Our products are enjoyed more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Our portfolio — including Lay’s, Doritos, Gatorade, Pepsi and Quaker — consists of many iconic brands that generate more than US $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales, helping to deliver more than US $70 billion in net revenue in 2020.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive. Through PepsiCo Positive, we are charting a new course to drive positive action for the planet and people. PepsiCo Positive is an end-to-end strategic business transformation with sustainability at the centre of how we will create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change.

In South Africa (SA), you will find our products across the region at breakfast, lunch or dinner. At the gym or on the field. In the office or on the go. We refresh, restore and rejuvenate our consumers all day, every day with our key brands including Simba, Lay's, Liqui Fruit and Bokomo range of cereals. PepsiCo SA employs more than 13,000 people across our three business divisions: Bakeries, Grains, Foods, Fruit, Snacks, Juice & Beverages.

What we’re looking for:

We're looking for a Quality Assurance Manager to join the team. The main purpose of the role is to troubleshoot and find new innovative ideas for implementation to ensure the Company adherence to all quality and food safety standards. The execution of all plans, procedures and corrective actions to ensure a sustainable quality and food safety system. The successful incumbent will also be responsible for the following:

1. Lead Quality and Food safety agenda through effective implementation of PepsiCo standards and guidelines.
2. Manage Quality and Food Safety inspections and follow-up on all non-conformances noted. Ensure that the Plant meets IPS, AIB, and FSSC 22 000 standards.
3. Develop capability, training, and recruitment of QA and Food Safety employees to perform their duties in their defined roles and responsibilities as well as expertise as per regional capability model (SETs agenda).
4. Impart necessary trainings on quality and food safety requirements to operations team to perform their duties effectively on lines.
5. Overall management of Laboratory operations, including communication to the business regarding in-plant quality concerns.
6. Plan and maintain annual Quality and Food safety and Sanitation budget and CAPEX (Capital expenditure).
7. Maintenance and calibration of on-line instrumentation and key analytical instruments in the Laboratory.
8. Quality Assurance of all incoming Raw Materials used by Production.
9. Practical creativity to identify trends with the ability to apply new but practical solutions to issues.
10. On-line technical support and guidance.
11. Influencing others to build rapport with contacts and gain support and commitment for problem solving.
12. Team commitment to work with colleagues in all functions to deliver operational excellence.
13. Analytical troubleshooting and guidance to production and laboratory personnel to ensure finished product quality.
14. Ensure and maintain integrity of all Quality data.
15. Ensure to have up-to-date HACCP program in place with real controls on CCPs to avoid any Food Safety risk and update program for all innovations (technology or product) with proper risk assessment.
16. Compliance of quality aspects for any new or modified material or new equipment installation (raw or packaging) during R&D trial.
17. Develop the suppliers for PEPSICO QA and Food Safety program requirements.
18. Ensure sampling and evaluation of in-market product and assess the health of on-shelf product with challenges and action plans.
19. Gauge product health in trade through Frito-Lay challenge quarterly with R&D and ensure execution of action plan for improvement in compliance and competitive leg.
20. Develop and align customer complaint handling procedure and ensure in-time closure and tracking of complaints with feedback. Share the challenge and action plan for improvement come out of market complaints.
21. Ensure annual IPS training (7-day training) to on-board new technical hires on PC and NPC manufacturing processes takes place.
22. Manages suppliers on site to perform according to the SLA between PepsiCo and supplier.
23. Compiling and distribution of Quality Assurance reports and attend daily, monthly KPI meetings with action plans to improve performance.
24. Engaging with R&D and assisting with execution on new product development.

What will qualify you for the role:

1. Degree in Food Technology or Quality Management.
2. Minimum of 5 years experience in a manufacturing environment of which 3 years were in a managerial role.
3. Computer literate in MS Office and MS PowerPoint.
4. Understanding of HACCP and FSSC 22 000.

“PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer in line with the Employment Equity Act.