Quality Manager

Private Advertiser; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Private Advertiser is seeking an accomplished Quality Leader to own the food quality and safety program at a dairy-focused site in Melbourne. You will balance technical rigor with practical influence, leading a small quality team and collaborating with Operations, Logistics, Production, and suppliers.

The role requires tertiary qualifications in food science with HACCP and auditing training, plus at least five years in food quality management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree holder with HACCP and food quality systems training.
• Experience leading quality teams in food manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of dairy processes and regulatory standards.
• Excellent communication and capability to influence at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Own the site food quality and safety program across the operation.
• Keep the site audit-ready and drive continuous improvement in QMS.
• Oversee laboratory testing, supplier quality, and recall readiness.
• Lead internal and external audits across certifications.
• Develop and maintain quality documentation, procedures and policies.
• Coach and develop the quality team and coordinate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Leadership

Quality management

Auditing

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science

Job description

This is a genuinely hands-on leadership role. You will own the food quality and safety program, keep the site audit-ready, strengthen the QMS, oversee laboratory and supplier quality requirements, lead recall readiness and manage a small Quality team. You'll work closely with Operations, Logistics, Production, Maintenance and suppliers, balancing technical rigour with practical influence.

Key responsibilities

Champion quality and food safety across the site and build strong ownership beyond the Quality team

Manage compliance across HACCP, SQF, FSANZ, Department of Agriculture, DFSV, Organic, customer and other legislative requirements

Plan, prepare and lead internal and external audits across relevant certifications

Oversee laboratory requirements including microbiological and sensory testing, shelf-life testing, calibration, water and wastewater monitoring

Develop and maintain the QMS, customer quality documentation, procedures and policies

Lead quality and food safety training, inductions, certification requirements and technical guidance across the business

Provide technical support for factory trials, new products, ingredients and packaging

Act as Product Recall Coordinator and maintain strong recall, mock-recall and approved supplier processes

Lead, coach and hold accountable the Quality team while supporting relevant environmental, food safety risk and workplace compliance requirements

About you

Tertiary qualifications in a food science discipline and formal training in HACCP, food quality systems and auditing

At least five years' experience in quality management within food manufacturing

An in-depth understanding of dairy processes

Strong knowledge and application of customer and regulatory standards

Excellent communication skills and the confidence to influence people at all levels

Strong organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing requirements and timely reporting

A continuous-improvement mindset, positive can-do style, strong attention to detail and accountability

What success will look like

You’ll know you are making an impact when the site is consistently audit-ready, the QMS is current and useful, quality issues are addressed early, supplier and laboratory programs are well controlled, and the broader operation sees quality as everyone’s responsibility.

This is a high-impact role for someone who wants to shape how quality works across an operational business, rather than manage it from behind a desk.

If you are technically strong, commercially practical and enjoy building systems, capability and accountability across a manufacturing site, we’d love to hear from you.