Supplier Quality Assurance Manager at Pedros Flame Grilled Chicken

Job Description
Position Summary:

• Pedro’s Chicken is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Supplier Quality Assurance Manager to champion the design, implementation, and governance of the Supplier
• Quality Management System (SQMS). This senior-level role is pivotal in ensuring that all suppliers meet or exceed the brand’s quality and food safety standards, supporting Pedro’s commitment to delivering consistent, safe, and high-quality products to its customers nationwide. The SQA Manager will lead supplier audits, enforce compliance with food manufacturing standards, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and collaborate closely with procurement, operations, and production teams. This role requires a hands-on leader with deep expertise in food quality assurance, supplier compliance, and supply chain risk mitigation.

Key Responsibilities:

Supplier Quality Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and own the company’s SQMS framework, ensuring alignment with industry best practices, regulatory requirements, and brand standards.
• Establish supplier quality metrics and dashboards to track conformance, performance, and risk.
• Define and update supplier quality policies and procedures in line with FSA,
• HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, and other food safety standards.

Supplier Audits & Compliance:

• Plan, schedule, and conduct supplier audits (both announced and unannounce across South Africa.
• Prepare audit reports, issue non-conformance notices, and track corrective and preventive action plans (CAPAs).
• Maintain an approved supplier list based on performance, compliance, and risk assessments.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with procurement to integrate quality criteria into supplier selection, onboarding, and performance reviews.
• Partner with NPD, operations, and production to validate raw materials and packaging components.
• Support store-level food safety teams with supplier-related quality incidents and investigations.

Quality Data Management & Reporting:

• Maintain an SQMS database including supplier profiles, certifications, audit history, and incidents.
• Generate monthly quality reports for leadership highlighting trends, risks, and recommendations.
• Drive digitalisation and traceability enhancements across the supply chain.

Continuous Improvement and Training:

• Identify systemic quality issues and lead root cause analysis and process improvement initiatives.
• Champion supplier quality training and development, internally and externally.
• Stay abreast of local and international food safety regulations and emerging risks.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Quality Management, Microbiology, or related field (required)
• Minimum 7–10 years’ experience in quality assurance within the food manufacturing or QSR industry
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, FSSC 22000, SANS 10049, and other relevant regulations
• Proven experience in supplier audit management and SQMS implementation
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with multiple stakeholders
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel for supplier audits