Quality Assurance Manager

We're seeking a highly experienced Quality Manager – QA & Food Safety to lead and elevate our food safety and quality systems at our ready-to-eat retort processing facility. This is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring that every product we manufacture meets the highest standards of safety, legality, and quality.

About the Role

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in food safety systems, thermal processing, compliance, and team leadership. You will develop, implement, and manage the entire Food Safety & Quality Assurance program while driving a strong culture of continuous improvement and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Food Safety & System Leadership

Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Food Safety Management System (FSMS), including HACCP tailored for retort processing.

Ensure compliance with national and global standards such as FSSAI, FDA, ISO 22000, and GFSI.

Quality Assurance & Control

Define and enforce QC standards for raw materials, in-process products, and finished goods.

Conduct routine internal audits, inspections, and data analysis to drive improvements and resolve recurring issues.

Regulatory Compliance & Audits

Prepare for and manage regulatory, certification, and customer audits (including IFS, BRCGS, and FDA).

Serve as the primary contact for external auditors and regulatory bodies.

Maintain audit-ready documentation at all times.

Issue Resolution & CAPA

Lead investigations into customer complaints, non-conformances, or potential recalls.

Implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence.

Supplier Management

Manage and evaluate suppliers, including conducting supplier audits and qualifying raw materials.

Sanitation & Hygiene Oversight

Drive sanitation programs, environmental monitoring, and pest control processes.

What We’re Looking For

Regulatory Expertise

Strong knowledge of FSSAI regulations and EU food law, including labelling, contaminants, and product standards.

Ability to ensure product compliance for both Indian and European markets.

Thermal Processing Expertise

Hands-on experience with retort validation.

Skilled in Heat Distribution (HD) & Heat Penetration (HP) studies, F₀ value calculations, and collaborating with a Process Authority.

Ability to manage deviations and assess product disposition.

Multi-Site & Risk Management

Experience building standardised food safety programs across multiple facilities.

Strong risk assessment capabilities with proficiency in analysing multi-site data.

Audit Readiness

Proven experience handling announced and unannounced audits with leading certification bodies.

Strong documentation and record management skills, including HACCP, traceability, CAPA, training logs, etc.

Training & Development

Ability to design and deliver training programs related to GMP, HACCP, allergen management, and retort processing.

Skilled in tracking competency and training records.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field (Master’s preferred).

Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in food safety and QA, specifically in retort-processed RTE products.

Strong understanding of HACCP, ISO 22000, GMP, SSOPs, and food safety systems.

Excellent communication, analytical, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

For any questions, please reach us at factoryhr@ycook.in