Quality and Technical Manager (Gauteng) at Nurture Brands

About the Role:

• The Quality & Technical Manager ensures compliance with statutory, regulatory, customer, and certification requirements (including FSSC 22000), while managing technical systems, processes, and staff. Acting as a champion of food safety and quality culture, the manager drives continuous improvement, leads problem-solving initiatives, and ensures effective implementation of solutions to maintain the highest standards of food safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Food Safety & FSMS Leadership

• Act as the appointed Food Safety Team Leader.
• Implement, manage, review and continuously improve the FSMS in line with FSSC 22000 (latest version).
• Ensure all elements of the FSMS are implemented, maintained and effective in operations.
• Chair and drive monthly HACCP and Food Safety Team meetings.
• Lead management review inputs annually.
• Coordinate mock recalls, traceability exercises and product recall readiness.
• Ensure allergen awareness, controls and verification throughout the facility.
• Remain current with regulatory, customer and certification changes and ensure timely system adaptation.
• Champion quality improvement initiatives and corrective action implementation.

Auditing & Compliance

• Manage and execute the internal audit programme in line with the approved schedule.
• Coordinate and escort external audits (certification, regulatory, customer and supplier).
• Use FSSC 22000 risk assessment methodology to score severity versus likelihood.
• Oversee supplier quality assurance, audits and approvals.
• Conduct monthly self-assessments of food safety elements.
• Verify system effectiveness through audits, inspections and verifications.

Microbiology & Laboratory Oversight

• Manage the swabbing and product testing schedules to ensure swab and product samples are taken and analyzed (in house or external).
• Manage environmental schedules i.e. Air, hand swabs, equipment, drains, fans etc.
• Manage water sampling points and microbiological trending.
• Manage environmental monitoring programmes including Listeria mapping across all factories.
• Oversee laboratory operations, consumables and testing integrity.
• Conduct and manage shelf-life testing.
• Compile monthly microbiological, environmental and product testing trends.
• Compile Listeria swab and product testing report.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Compile weekly and monthly internal and customer complaint trend reports with graphical analysis.
• Compile and analyse CCP, PRP and OPRP trends.
• Compile cleaning efficiency and Listeria monitoring reports.
• Conduct root cause analysis for complaints, NCRs and trends and ensure timely corrective actions.
• Document site and facility continual improvement and CAPEX-related projects (structural and equipment).
• Ensure no system failures or unmanaged non-conformances.

Equipment Calibration & Verification

• Ensure weekly verification of thermometers and scales.
• Ensure calibration and re-calibration of all measurement equipment.
• Ensure external testing of water, chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals and toxins as required.
• Ensure Tech staff verify all scales weekly.
• Ensure chemical testing and verifications (pesticides, Heavy metals, Toxins and chemicals).

Team Leadership

• Lead, manage and develop the Technical and Quality team.
• Ensure staff perform according to job descriptions and KPIs.
• Ensure adequate training, competence and compliance with PPE and hygiene standards.
• Conduct performance reviews and support development plans.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and disciplinary processes in line with HR policies.

NPD & Technical Support

• Provide technical and food safety support to NPD projects.
• Ensure process documentation, control plans, specifications and acceptance criteria are completed.
• Manage shelf-life studies and nutritional analysis where required.
• Support training of production teams on new products and processes.
• Manage all technical and quality communication to customers relating to NPD.
• Lead and monitor continuous improvement projects.

Specification completion.

• Accept/ Reject Criteria completion and implementation with Technical and Production teams.
• Shelf-life of products.
• Nutritional analysis (as required) by customers.

Requirements
Knowledge, skills and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in food technology, Food Science, Quality or equivalent qualification.
• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in food manufacturing within a Quality/Technical management role.
• Proven experience with FSSC 22000 (latest version) – compulsory.
• Strong auditing skills (internal and external).
• Strong analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills including report writing and graphical trending.
• Strong organisational skills with ability to prioritise and multitask.
• Excellent communication, training and interpersonal skills.
• External competency certifications are advantageous.
• Detail oriented