Senior Quality Assurance Manager

Primary Location :

BIGGLESWADE, United Kingdom

At Solina, our community of close to 5,000 people share a passion for food and live our entrepreneurial culture.

We design customised savoury solutions for our clients operating in the food industry, food service, butchery and nutrition markets. With sustainability at the heart of our business model, we aim to produce food that is good in every sense of the word: delicious, nourishing, affordable, sustainable and convenient.

Solina is a fast-growing business, with around 50 production sites and R&D laboratories present in more than 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America.

By constantly rethinking culinary solutions, we make food matter for people and the planet .

If you're ready for a new adventure in a dynamic, expanding, passionate, international company, join us !

Are you passionate about quality, food safety, and driving excellence? As our Senior Quality Manager, you will be at the forefront of our quality journey, leading teams, inspiring best practice, and ensuring our products consistently exceed customer and industry standards. Working closely with the Head of Technical & Quality, you will have the opportunity to shape strategy, enhance quality systems, and deliver impactful continuous improvement initiatives that make a real difference across the business.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead and support quality activities across multiple sites, deputising for the Head of Technical & Quality when required.
- Drive compliance with food safety, legal, customer, BRCGS, and internal quality standards.
- Plan, coordinate, and lead customer, certification, and regulatory audits, ensuring timely closure of any non-conformances.
- Oversee and maintain Quality Management Systems (QMS), HACCP programmes, risk management processes, and incident management procedures.
- Monitor product quality, environmental testing, and microbiological results, ensuring appropriate corrective actions are implemented.
- Partner with Operations teams to embed quality standards, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
- Lead investigations into customer complaints, stock rejections, and quality incidents, providing analysis and recommendations.
- Support and mentor Quality Managers across four sites, ensuring consistent quality performance and best practice.
- Manage supplier performance through scorecards, audits, and service provider contracts.
- Maintain document control systems, quality KPIs, and prepare management and board-level reports.
- Champion a culture of quality, food safety, inclusion, and continuous improvement throughout the business.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for an experienced and proactive quality professional who is passionate about food safety, quality excellence, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will bring:

- A degree (or equivalent qualification) in Food Science or a related discipline.
- At least 4 years' experience in a Technical or Quality Assurance management role within the food manufacturing industry.
- Proven leadership experience, with the ability to manage, coach, and develop high-performing quality teams.
- Strong knowledge of food safety legislation, quality management systems, retailer requirements, and certification standards.
- A Lead Auditor qualification and practical experience auditing quality systems and manufacturing environments.
- HACCP Level 4 qualification with hands-on experience implementing and maintaining HACCP systems.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound decisions and drive improvements.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, capable of building effective relationships and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
- A collaborative approach, with the ability to work independently and across multiple sites and functions.
- Experience within cereal-based manufacturing or ingredient production would be advantageous.
- Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
- A flexible and self-motivated approach, with the ability to travel between sites and respond to business needs when required.
- An excellent command of written and spoken English.

This role would suit a confident quality leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and is committed to fostering a culture of quality, food safety, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

We offer a competitive package

Join Solina and help shape the future of food through quality, innovation, and excellence.

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We are open to talents of all backgrounds. Our recruitment process is based on competences, and we openly welcome all candidates of all types according to our DEI Commitment