QA Manager

Lifestyle Bakery; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Lifestyle Bakery in South Australia is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager to lead a small QA team and drive food safety across our gluten-free bakery operations.

You will own the Quality Management System, engage with major customers and operations, and drive audits, supplier quality, and on-the-floor improvements to ensure consistent product quality.

Qualifications

• a minimum of 3 years in a leadership position, with Food Science, Quality, Microbiology, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on quality assurance experience within food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP and food safety systems, including audits, non-conformances, and corrective actions.
• A collaborative, hands-on style with strong documentation, analytical and critical thinking skills, and the confidence to influence quality behaviors.
• Leading at a senior leadership level to drive Quality.

Responsibilities

• Customer engagement: regular communication with key stakeholders within our major customer group
• Systems: Own and maintain our food safety systems (HACCP, GMP, allergen management)
• Compliance: Lead audits, inspections, and certification readiness
• Product and supplier quality: Manage supplier approval, specifications, and ingredient verification
• Issues and improvement: Investigate non-conformances, complaints and recalls, drive corrective actions and be heavily involve in training whilst leading from the shop floor
• Testing and Reporting: Monitor product testing, shelf life, and labelling accuracy, report on quality KPIs, recommend and implement improvements

Skills

Leadership

Food Science

Quality Assurance

Microbiology

Analytical thinking

Tools

HACCP

GMP

Job description

Lead quality and food safety through Lifestyle’s next stage of growth.

About Us:

Lifestyle Bakery is a leading privately owned South Australian Food Manufacturer of gluten free products. Embarking on a bold strategy underpinned by product category specialization, it has achieved rapid growth across multiple market segments nationally and internationally. It is now clearly positioned as the "go to" company, being the "pace setter" that has taken its category to another level. With this exceptional positioning comes an equally strong market expectation of the highest standards and levels of performance.

We are looking for an initiative-taking and competent Quality Assurance Manager to join our team. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a team that is taking gluten free baking to a new level.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the General Manager, we are seeking an experienced, hands-on Quality Assurance (QA) Manager to lead a team of two, driving quality and food safety.

You will have strong people skills and capability to engage with managers, staff and customer contacts.

You will take ownership of the site’s Quality Management System working closely with our major customers, as well the operational teams to maintain compliance, resolve quality issues and drive practical solutions

What You Will Do:

• Customer engagement: - you will have regular communication with key stakeholders within our major customer group
• Systems: - Own and maintain our food safety systems (HACCP, GMP, allergen management)
• Compliance: - Lead audits, inspections, and certification readiness
• Product and supplier quality: - Manage supplier approval, specifications, and ingredient verification.
• Issues and improvement: - Investigate non-conformances, complaints and recalls, drive corrective actions and be heavily involve in training whilst leading from the shop floor.
• Testing and Reporting: - Monitor product testing, shelf life, and labelling accuracy, report on quality KPIs, recommend and implement improvements

What We Are Looking For:

• Skills and knowledge: a minimum of 3 years in a leadership position, with Food Science, Quality, Microbiology, or a related discipline.
• Manufacturing experience: Hands-on quality assurance experience within food manufacturing.
• Technical knowledge: Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP and food safety systems, including audits, non-conformances, and corrective actions.
• Practical leadership: A collaborative, hands-on style with strong documentation, analytical and critical thinking skills, and the confidence to influence quality behaviors.
• Desirable experience: Leading at a senior leadership level to drive Quality.