Quality Assurance Manager (Food Manufacturing) - permanent, full-time
Bicester, Oxfordshire
Are you passionate about quality and developing your quality career? If so, then this could be the ideal opportunity for you!
About us
British Bakels Ltd is a specialist provider of high-quality baking ingredients to organisations throughout the UK and beyond. Part of the wider Bakels Group of companies employing over 3000 employees worldwide, British Bakels is a successful, dynamic and friendly business with a reputation for high quality products and exceptional customer service.
As a result of our continued growth, we are looking for a Quality Assurance Manager to help us drive and maintain our high standards and ensure we can continue to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.
About the role
You will be joining a small, high-performing team of professionals who are friendly, supportive and passionate about their roles within the Technical Department and the wider Bakels business.
As our Quality Assurance Manager, you will own all our internal audit activities and support during the external audits. You will ensure our processes, procedures, and standards that keep our factory running smoothly, are not just followed but are optimised. You will drive quality culture on site and ensure the site remains compliant to the requirements of the sites’ Quality Manual. You will provide all required technical support to enable factory areas to meet food safety, quality and GMP standards. You will work with all departments to drive continuous improvement in the factory.
Working hours - days (40 hours per week)
Duties include:
- Support all onsite audits or visits; and ensure any non-conformances raised are investigated, appropriate corrective and preventative actions are put in place and the audit closed within the required timeframe. You will ensure the audit process with external customers and third parties runs smoothly from start to finish. It also includes educating the wider site team in their involvement and setting expectations for them.
- Support during customer and certification audits, ensure pre-audit inspections are carried out, and all departments are made aware of previous areas of non-conformance.
- Stay abreast of developments and changes to customer codes of practice/standards, ensuring that any requirements are integrated into the site Quality Management System.
- Maintain our integrated management control and reporting system for the site, representing food safety risk assessments, customer aspirations and product quality.
- Implement a strong culture of continuous improvement through GMP. Design, implement and maintain relevant GMP KPI to drive high standards within the business, ensuring close out of any issues relating to GMP or audit failures. Continue to monitor performance to ensure corrective and preventive action are verified.
- Design, implement and maintain internal auditing and environmental monitoring in alignment with the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety and customer requirements.
- Work with other departments in investigating non-conformances, failures, complaints and assist in problem-solving and promote ideas for sustainable solutions to prevent reoccurrence.
- Identify and highlight any significant shortfalls in areas likely to compromise food safety integrity to the Technical Manager.
- Manage and motivate the Quality team.
- Ensure all process deviations and non-conforming products are recorded by raising non-conformances, concession, and supplier non-conformances and follow through for proper corrective actions.
- Manage and co-ordinate all relevant stock movement on the ERP system in and out of QMAIN, HOLD and Rework in a timely manner.
- Along with the internal auditing system, conduct gap analysis against customer requirements.
- Implement, coordinate and perform routine physical and chemical analyses on raw materials, in-process samples, and finished products.
- Maintain compliance with food safety programs such as HACCP, GMP, GFSI (e.g., SQF/BRCGS), GLP, company quality systems and customer requirements.
- Prepare reports and trend analyses for quality metrics, environmental monitoring, and product performance. Implement escalation process.
- Implement schedule and oversee maintenance, calibration, and verification of laboratory instruments and site equipment.
- Coordinate service visits and troubleshooting with equipment vendors when necessary.
About you
To be successful in this role, you will need to have excellent communication skills (oral and written), influencing and negotiation skills to bring about change and a commitment to continuous development. Specific requirements include:
- Minimum 5 years' experience in a food manufacturing business , with at least 2 years proven track record in a senior QA or Supervisory role.
- A Level 3 Food Safety and HACCP qualification.
- An internal auditing qualification.
- Food Science or related degree or equivalent qualification.
- A users' knowledge of standard software systems.
- Self-motivated and responsible for own time management.
- Experience in UK retailers and have an understanding of Customer Codes of practice and specific certification requirements, e.g. RSPO, HALAL, BRC requirements.
- Strong organisational skills.
You must also have the right to work in the UK and live within easy commuting distance of Bicester, Oxfordshire. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor visa applications for this role.
Our staff benefits
We offer a generous range of benefits including:
- A competitive salary of 50k to 55k p.a. depending on experience
- 25 days’ annual holiday, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days
- An additional day off for your birthday
- 10% employer pension contribution with optional salary sacrifice scheme
- Occupational sickness benefits
- Life assurance benefit
- Long Service awards
- Enhanced maternity/paternity pay
- Employee Assistance Programme with wellbeing portal
- Employee forum with regular social and charity events
- Healthcare scheme providing cashback on health-related expenditure* (annual cap)
- Cycle Purchase scheme
- Tastecard scheme offering discounted food, retail and entertainment
- Staff canteen with vending machines, fridges, toasters and free tea/coffee
- Free on-site parking
We are an equal opportunities employer who values diversity, dedication and teamwork.
If you think you would be a good fit for this role, please apply today! We look forward to receiving your application.
Please note: Due to the high level of responses typically received, we will only contact candidates who are selected for interview. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 14 days, this means that you have not been successful on this occasion.
Thank you for your interest.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £50,000.00-£55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Canteen
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Bicester OX26 4JT: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Do you live within 1 hours' travelling distance of Bicester, Oxfordshire?
Experience:
- Quality assurance or Production: 2 years (preferred)
- food manufacturing industry: 2 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
