Job Title: Quality Assurance & Compliance Officer (Soft Fruit)
Location: Stafford
Salary: £32,000 - £40,000
Annual Leave: 28 days (inclusive of bank holidays)
Hours: 48 hours per week, spread across 5 or 6 days depending on seasonal requirements
Role Overview
A food production company are seeking a proactive, commercially aware QA & Compliance Supervisor to lead factory quality, food safety, and compliance standards across our packhouse operation.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong shop floor presence, a continuous improvement mindset, and the drive to work smarter, reduce departmental costs, and enhance operational performance without compromising quality or compliance.
The successful candidate will take full ownership of quality systems, audit readiness, traceability, and factory compliance, while actively identifying smarter ways of working and delivering measurable efficiencies.
Key Responsibilities
QA Team Leadership & Development
- Supervise, coach, and develop QA team members to ensure consistent quality performance
- Drive accountability, engagement, and high standards across the QA function
- Ensure clear delegation of responsibilities and succession capability within the team
- Always maintain strong shop floor presence
Factory Compliance & Food Safety Management
- Monitor, maintain, and validate food safety and quality systems (HACCP, GMP, TACCP, VACCP where applicable)
- Ensure full compliance with BRC, Red Tractor, retailer COPs, and all relevant regulatory requirements
- Assist and support external audits (customers, certification bodies, regulatory authorities)
- Plan, conduct, and close out internal audits to ensure audit readiness at all times
- Ensure all QA records and reports are accurate, traceable, and fully auditable
- Maintain full factory compliance including hygiene standards, zoning controls, allergen management, pest control oversight, glass & brittle plastic registers, and calibration systems
- Oversee environmental monitoring and factory standards verification
- Ensure safety compliance across the operation in partnership with site management
Raw Material & Finished Goods Quality Control
- Manage raw material quality including supplier compliance, inspections, intake checks, and approvals
- Oversee finished goods quality to ensure all customer specifications and technical standards are met
- Conduct and manage traceability and full end-to-end traceback activities
- Lead mock recalls and crisis simulations
- Investigate non-conformances and manage corrective and preventive actions
Workflow Optimisation & Cost Control
- Analyse and improve production and quality processes to identify bottlenecks
- Implement solutions to reduce waste, improve yields, and enhance packhouse efficiency
- Drive initiatives to reduce departmental and operational costs without compromising compliance
- Review QA labour deployment to ensure cost-effective coverage
- Monitor giveaway, waste, rework, and reject levels and implement reduction strategies
- Work closely with production to balance quality compliance with commercial performance
Data Management, Reporting & Systems
- Utilise current WMS to manage data, track inventory, and maintain capacity information
- Trend quality and production data to identify root causes and implement preventative solutions
- Monitor QA KPIs and report performance to senior management
- Ensure all documentation supports full traceability and audit compliance
- Maintain accurate and timely reporting to the Operations Manager
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with production, planning, intake, and dispatch teams to resolve quality issues
- Support operations during peak harvest and high-demand periods
- Provide technical guidance to wider operational teams
- Participate in on-call rota to support production and transport outside standard hours
About You
We are looking for a confident, initiative-driven leader who actively seeks smarter, more efficient ways of working.
Essential Experience & Skills
- Proven experience in a QA Supervisor or QA leadership role within food manufacturing or fresh produce
- Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems, and audit processes (BRC essential)
- Demonstrated experience managing and developing QA teams
- Competent in traceability and full traceback investigations
- Strong root cause analysis and data trending capability
- Commercial awareness with the ability to balance compliance and cost control
- MS Office proficient
- Experience using factory or planning software systems (Winternet advantageous)
Personal Attributes
- Initiative-focused and solution-oriented
- Cost-conscious mindset with a track record of reducing waste or inefficiencies
- Strong attention to detail
- Confident communicator with ability to challenge constructively
- Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced, seasonal environment
- Flexible with working hours during harvest to align with operational demand
- Willingness to work occasional weekends during peak season
- Highly visible and present on the factory floor
- Ability to work as part of a team from various ethnic backgrounds
What Success Looks Like
- Audit-ready factory at all times
- Reduction in non-conformances and customer complaints
- Improved yield and reduced waste
- Strong QA team engagement and accountability
- Clear cost control within the QA department
- Seamless traceability and compliance performance
To apply either:
Click apply on this job board.
Contact the team on 01952 739393
Staffing Lab limited are working as an employment business in relation to this vacancy.
PERM2
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £32,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Stafford: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Fresh Produce: 2 years (preferred)
- Internal audits: 2 years (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
