Quality Assurance Manager

EC Throsby; Whittingham; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

EC Throsby in Whittingham, NSW, is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager to lead site QA and compliance activities in a hands-on production environment. You will collaborate with Production, QA, and regulatory bodies to ensure audit readiness and continuous improvement.

The role requires strong QA experience in food manufacturing or export processing, audit proficiency, and a practical, solutions-focused mindset with leadership capability.

Qualifications

• Experience in a QA or compliance role within food manufacturing, meat processing or export processing.
• Experience with internal, external and/or regulatory audits.
• Experience managing investigations, corrective actions and non-conformances.
• Strong understanding of food safety systems, including HACCP.

Responsibilities

• Lead and improve QA processes and Approved Arrangements on site.
• Coordinate internal and external audits and maintain audit readiness.
• Investigate non-conformances and drive effective corrective actions.
• Support regulatory interactions and traceability activities.
• Lead QA team training and coaching for operational staff.

Skills

QA leadership

Audits

HACCP

Food safety

Corrective actions

Traceability

Regulatory liaison

Root cause analysis

Communication

Time management

Mentoring

Education

Food Science degree

Food Technology degree

Quality Management cert

Job description

Lead quality in a leading Australian export beef processing business

Are you an experienced Quality Assurance professional looking for your next challenge?

E C Throsby is a family-owned Australian business specialising in export beef processing. With quality and safety at the heart of our operations, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards across our people, products and processes.

We are looking for a Quality Assurance Manager to join our Whittingham team and play a key role in ensuring our operation remains compliant, audit-ready and focused on continuous improvement.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you will work closely with Production, the QA team, management, customers and regulatory bodies.

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the Group Manager – Quality Assurance, you will have a key role in maintaining and improving our site quality systems and ensuring compliance with customer, regulatory and export requirements.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement of Quality Assurance processes and Approved Arrangements
• Managing site corrective and preventative actions and ensuring non-conformances are properly investigated and resolved
• Coordinating internal audits and supporting DAFF, customer and other external audits
• Ensuring the site remains audit-ready through effective verification, documentation and record management
• Working closely with Production to maintain quality, food safety and compliance standards
• Leading pre-operational inspections, hygiene verification and process verification activities
• Conducting traceability exercises, mock recalls and quality system verification
• Supporting regulatory interactions and inspections
• Monitoring quality trends and driving sustainable corrective actions and continuous improvement
• Supporting and coordinating the QA team, including training and coaching operational employees
• Promoting a culture of “safety first, quality always and audit-ready every day.”

What we’re looking for

We are looking for a confident and practical QA professional who can operate effectively in a fast-paced production environment.

You will bring:

• Experience in a QA or compliance role within food manufacturing, meat processing or export processing
• Experience with internal, external and/or regulatory audits
• Experience managing investigations, corrective actions and non-conformances
• A strong understanding of food safety systems, including HACCP
• Strong attention to detail and a genuine compliance mindset
• The ability to identify issues, investigate root causes and implement practical solutions
• Strong communication and influencing skills
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• The ability to work confidently with Production and other operational teams
• Leadership experience, whether formal or informal.

Experience that will set you apart

Experience in an export beef processing environment will be highly regarded, particularly knowledge of:

• DAFF requirements and Approved Arrangements
• Australian meat industry standards
• BRCGS Food Safety
• AUS-MEAT language and MSA grading standards
• Meat processing QA systems
• Lead or Internal Auditor practices
• Advanced HACCP.
  Relevant qualifications in Food Science, Food Technology, Agricultural Science, Quality Management or equivalent experience are required.

Why E C Throsby?

This is an opportunity to join a well-established, family-owned Australian business where quality is genuinely important to the way we operate.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Take ownership of site-wide QA and compliance activities
• Work closely with experienced Production and QA leadership
• Have direct involvement in regulatory and customer audits
• Influence quality and food safety culture across the operation
• Drive meaningful improvements rather than simply identifying problems
• Continue developing your leadership and technical expertise within the export meat industry.

Ready for your next challenge?

If you are an experienced QA professional who enjoys being hands-on, solving problems and working closely with operational teams, we would like to hear from you.

This position requires flexibility in working hours to support production, audits and regulatory requirements.