Quality Control Manager

Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and hands-on Quality Control professional to lead quality operations at our coconut-based food and beverage manufacturing facility. The plant includes UHT processing, spray drying, desiccated coconut drying, and coconut oil production.

This role is critical in ensuring food safety, product consistency, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across all production lines. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in the processing technologies mentioned above.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee quality control across all production stages: raw material inspection, in-process checks, finished product evaluation, and shipment quality.
• Implement and maintain HACCP, GMP, and food safety systems compliant with standards like BRC Food and FSSC 22000.
• Ensure compliance with additional certifications such as HALAL, KOSHER, and Organic.
• Supervise laboratory testing activities, including microbiological and physicochemical analyses (e.g., pH, viscosity, fat content, sterility) of coconut milk products.
• Train and manage the QC team; ensure proper sampling, testing procedures, and support ground-level teams in minimizing errors and meeting customer expectations.
• Support audit readiness and compliance for certifications like FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, and BRC.
• Investigate product complaints, quality issues, and process deviations; implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Collaborate with production and maintenance teams to monitor equipment and processing line integrity.
• Maintain updated SOPs, quality records, batch production documentation, and regulatory paperwork.
• Monitor and evaluate supplier quality (raw materials and packaging); work with Procurement and R&D on quality concerns.
• Ensure lab equipment is calibrated and that all QC records are accurate and up to date.
• Contribute to facility expansion and improvement projects from a quality perspective to minimize nonconformities.
• Prepare reports and provide updates to the QA Manager or COO as needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelors degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years in food manufacturing, with at least 2 years in UHT or aseptic processing (ideally in coconut milk, dairy, or plant-based beverages).
• Proven experience leading QC teams in high-volume production environments.
• Strong understanding of UHT processing, aseptic packaging, spray drying, and desiccated coconut production.
• Familiarity with microbial risks in low-acid foods and the characteristics of coconut-based products.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in LIMS, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Ability to effectively manage and motivate a team to ensure quality performance.