Quality Systems Manager
Ballantine Recruitment
Job Description
Quality Systems Manager - Food Manufacture
£40,000 – £45,000
Monday to Friday | Days
Permanent
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Quality Systems Manager to join an established manufacturing business in a key site-based role.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong Technical / Quality Systems background who wants to take real ownership of systems, standards and improvement across a manufacturing operation.
The role has a strong focus on BRCGS, Quality Management Systems and technical compliance, but we are looking for more than someone who simply maintains documentation and prepares for audits.
We want someone who enjoys understanding how processes work in practice, identifying where improvements can be made and working closely with operational teams to deliver sustainable change.
This is a hands-on individual contributor role and does not have direct people-management responsibility.
What You'll Be Doing
As Quality Systems Manager, you will take ownership of the site's Quality and Technical Management Systems, ensuring they remain robust, practical, compliant and continuously improving.
Your responsibilities will include:
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Owning, maintaining and continuously improving the site's Quality and Technical Management Systems.
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Maintaining compliance with BRCGS standards, customer requirements and internal procedures.
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Ensuring the site remains audit-ready and that standards are effectively embedded within day-to-day operations.
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Supporting and leading BRCGS, customer and third-party audits.
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Managing the internal audit programme and ensuring actions are effectively closed out.
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Reviewing and improving procedures, policies, standards and technical documentation.
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Managing non-conformances, corrective actions and preventative actions.
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Leading root cause analysis and ensuring recurring issues are properly addressed.
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Working closely with Operations to improve processes, controls and ways of working.
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Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and process improvement.
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Using quality and operational data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
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Supporting HACCP, risk assessments, change control and wider food safety activities.
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Driving improvements in GMP, factory standards and operational compliance.
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Challenging processes that are unnecessarily complex, ineffective or no longer fit for purpose.
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Helping ensure quality and technical standards are understood and owned across the operation.
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Supporting a culture focused on prevention, continuous improvement and getting things right first time.
About You
You are likely to come from a Technical, Quality Assurance, Quality Systems or Technical Compliance background within a BRCGS-accredited manufacturing environment.
Your exact product background is less important to us than your understanding of BRCGS, quality systems and how a manufacturing operation works.
You may currently be working as a:
*Quality Systems Manager
*Quality Systems Lead
*Technical Systems Manager
*Technical Compliance Manager
*Quality Manager
*Technical Manager
*Senior Quality / Technical Coordinator
*QA Manager
We are particularly interested in people who combine strong technical knowledge with a practical, operational mindset.
What We're Looking For
Ideally, you will bring:
*Experience working within a BRCGS-accredited manufacturing environment.
*Strong knowledge of BRCGS standards and audit requirements.
*Experience managing or developing Quality Management Systems.
*A solid Technical, Quality Assurance or Quality Systems background.
*Experience with internal and external audits.
*Knowledge of HACCP, GMP, CAPA and root cause analysis.
*Experience investigating issues and implementing effective corrective actions.
*A good understanding of manufacturing operations.
*An interest in continuous improvement and process improvement.
*Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
*The confidence to work closely with operational teams at all levels.
*The ability to challenge existing ways of working in a constructive and practical way.
Formal Continuous Improvement or Lean qualifications are not essential.
We are more interested in someone who naturally asks:
Why Join?
This is a role where you can have genuine influence.
You will have ownership of the quality systems agenda while working closely with the wider operation to improve how things are done.
It offers the opportunity to move beyond purely maintaining systems and compliance, giving you the scope to:
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Improve existing processes.
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Introduce better ways of working.
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Strengthen standards across the site.
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Solve recurring problems.
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Influence operational performance.
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Make visible and measurable improvements.
If you are technically strong, confident with BRCGS and Quality Systems, and enjoy combining compliance with practical problem solving and continuous improvement, we would be keen to hear from you.
Package
Salary: £40,000 – £45,000
Hours: Monday to Friday, Days
Contract: Permanent