Quality Assurance Technologist

**Purpose of Role**

Supporting the Quality & Responsible Sourcing Controller to ensure the quality and food safety for food and household goods categories, stage gates are met for product launches and supplier compliance.

Determine regulatory compliance in support of product and food Safety and risk mitigation

**No responsibility for people**

**No direct reports**
- Monitor product quality complaints and quality issues and develop Quality Improvement plans
- National Brand suppliers to reduce complaints and CPMU and report out to the business
- Collate Finished product quality assessment data, reporting and tracking improvements where required and ensure improvement plans are implemented
- Support the Q&RS Controller to conduct new supplier approval audits and supplier visits, ensuring close out of report actions
- Support the Q&RS to improve quality and ensure compliance with the policies working with key suppliers
- Manage the risk-based supplier visit schedule
- Support the Q&RS Controller with Crisis Management
- Develop and help deliver the Surveillance Testing Plan
- Deliver an Emerging risks analysis and 'early warning' system for the Q&RS Controller and ensure relevant outputs are incorporated into the Surveillance Testing plan
- Manage and update the Food section of the Food and Responsible Retailing Hub platform
- Support the implementation of due diligence system for the companies National Brand products and manage the reporting function where required in support of brand protection

Business Focus

Look out for and highlight opportunities to incrementally improve own and team's outputs, on a regular basis, in line with market needs

Demonstrate an understanding of key business processes and metrics which are communicated to all colleagues and adhere to them.

Organise own workload and deliver work in a logical, sequenced way, using time effectively and efficiently.

Proactively make suggestions for process improvements within own remit.

Execute a project, or part of a larger project; monitor own progress, identify obstacles and take corrective actions

Managing Relationships
- Deliver messages - verbally and written - that are clear, concise, accurate and appropriate in tone.
- Provide fact-based information, using communication tools appropriately and in a timely
- Develop positive relationships and credibility with people you work directly with.
- Understand who the key stakeholders for your work are, and how you engage with them.
- Seek to gain trust and develop buy-in with stakeholders prior to and during any communications.

Leadership - ourselves and others

Engage fully in performance evaluation and development planning for self.

Consistently deliver high quality work on time and as agreed.
- Seek support from a responsible person to deal with queries or concerns, not engaging in unhelpful misinformation.
- Understand the business objectives and how change is required to keep the business successful; share understanding with colleagues and team members.

Effectively support own team colleagues through change activity driven from outside the function, seeking to maximise acceptance and cooperation and keep engagement high.

**Essential**

**Desirable**

**Qualifications**

Relevant degree or equivalent and/or food technical qualifications (Food Science, Food Technology)

**Experience**
- 4-5 years of experience working with food and associated food
- Auditor qualification (e.g., Lead Auditor) and demonstrable auditing history
- HACCP qualification (Level 3 min)
- TACCP qualification with experience of developing and managing an emerging (food fraud) risk system
- Communication and liaison with retail associations, government bodies and other external bodies.**Skills**
- Is able to demonstrate alignment with the SPAR Values giving examples of:

- Excellent Service
- Working in Partnership
- Having Ambitious objectives
- Able to demonstrate Resilience
- Competent in Outlook, Word, PowerPoint Presentations and Excel

Parkside Recruitment Ltd is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy. Parkside Recruitment is an Equal Opportunities Employer.