Quality Assurance Supervisor

Carlsberg Group; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work option

Dental care

Extended health coverage

Life insurance

RRSP matching

Tuition reimbursement

Vision care

Beer Benefit

Company events

Job summary

Carlsberg Canada Inc. is seeking a Quality Assurance Supervisor to oversee QA and laboratory operations, ensuring products meet safety, regulatory and Carlsberg quality standards.

You will lead a team of Quality Assurance Technicians and partner with operations to drive a strong quality culture across the site. You will guide investigations, monitor quality metrics, and have stop-work authority to protect consumers and the Carlsberg brand.

Qualifications

• BSc in Food Science, Chemistry or Microbiology.
• 3–5 years in a QA/technical role, preferably in beverage/manufacturing.
• 2–3 years’ experience supervising hourly staff.
• Proficient computer skills; knowledge of GMP, HACCP, ISO.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Maintain food safety and health & safety culture through active participation and program management.
• Sustain and improve Quality Management systems to deliver consistently high-quality products.
• Stop work authority to protect food safety and product quality.
• Provide training, coaching and leadership to quality technicians and foster cross-functional collaboration.
• Organize and supervise laboratory testing for chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses.
• Ensure timely reporting of test results to internal and external customers.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Team leadership

GMP/ISO/HACCP

Laboratory testing

Communication

Education

BSc in Food Science / Chemistry / Microbiology

Job description

Carlsberg Canada Inc. (CCI) is the Canadian division of Carlsberg Breweries, the world’s third-largest brewer. With about 300 employees at our Oakville head office, Waterloo brewery and across Canada, we proudly brew, distribute, and commercialize Carlsberg products nationwide including Carlsberg, 1664, Landshark, Waterloo Brewing, Somersby, Laker, Garage and Seagram RTDs. Our brewery also proudly works with a variety of co-manufacturing partnerships thanks to our amazing quality standards and operational excellence.

At Carlsberg, no matter your role or function, we are driven not only by what we deliver but also by how we work together—this is our Growth Culture. Built on five core principles, our Growth Culture guides the way we work, innovate, and lead, ensuring we continue Brewing for a Better Today and Tomorrow.

Role overview

The Quality Assurance Supervisor is responsible for overseeing quality assurance and laboratory operations to ensure all products consistently meet food safety, regulatory, customer, and Carlsberg quality standards. This role leads a team of Quality Assurance Technicians, manages quality testing and product release activities, supports continuous improvement initiatives, and partners closely with operational teams to drive a strong quality culture across the site.

As a key member of the Quality team, the Quality Assurance Supervisor provides technical guidance, supports quality investigations and root cause analysis, monitors quality performance metrics, and ensures compliance with quality management systems. The role also has the authority to stop production when food safety or product quality risks are identified, helping protect consumers, product integrity, and the Carlsberg brand.

What you’ll be doing

• Maintains food safety and health & safety culture through active participation, communication, and management of programs.
• Sustain and improve the Quality Management systems to secure that consistent high-quality products are delivered to customers, and consumers according to legal and Carlsberg COM requirements
• Stop work in any area due to quality issues – risk for food safety (Stop work authority)
• Support the quality culture across the site through training, coaching and strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Provide training, coaching and leadership to ~10 Quality Assurance technicians to optimize their effectiveness, efficiency and results while ensuring compliance to established policies and procedures
• Organization of Quality Control testing and release for all required chemical, microbiological and sensory analysis for all raw materials, in process samples, and finished products.
• Plan, organize and supervise laboratory functions and activities for physical chemical, microbiological, propagation and sensory.
• Responsible for the personal development of laboratory technicians.
• Manage sampling plans, the lab propagation plan, analyses and test results.
• Ensure full service (tests, analyses and reporting) to internal and external customer in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensure root cause analyses tools are deployed appropriately, corrective actions are effective, sustainable and completed to agreed timescales for operational quality failures.
• Advise and support the site operational team on all QA issues within their areas of responsibility (incl. Quality investigations, risk assessments)
• Responsible for laboratory proficiency performance, good practices and conformance to methodology in local SOPs.
• Actively participates as part of the quality leadership team to develop and achieve departmental strategy and objectives.
• Ensure Quality KPIs are implicitly understood and managed efficiently at an appropriate level (i.e.: RFT, Consumer complaints etc.)
• Responsible for consistent collection and reporting of key quality metrics including all Right First-Time measures.
• Managing laboratory department financial budget (OPEX)
• Support the investigation of consumer/customer complaints.
• Supports local Quality performance reviews, identify trends, initiates and participates in problem solving activities.
• Supporting and advising operational teams in Quality improvement projects (related to OPEX and CAPEX)
• Acts as a technical resource for brewing and packaging production.
• Participate in the development and implementation of SOP's involving quality programs and systems.
• Conduct shop floor observations, inspections, coaching and guidance, 30% of time minimum in the shop floor.

What we’re looking for

• BSc degree or equivalent (Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology)
• Minimum 3 - 5 years’ experience in a technical position, in a Q.A. environment, preferably in the beverage industry. HACCP, GMP, ISO, and auditing are beneficial.
• Minimum 2-3 years’ experience with directly supervising hourly employees, preferably hourly unionized employee management.
• Must be computer proficient.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills, and the ability to interact and influence individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Regularly produce written communication with regards to out of spec situations, causes and recommended remedial action.
• Act as a force for change, e.g. drives continuous improvement in in-spec percentage, housekeeping, etc.

We’re looking for individuals who bring not only technical expertise, but also a mindset aligned with our Growth Culture principles. You live by “Semper Ardens” which means you are always challenging the status quo and striving for the extraordinary. You foster Positive Energy and Compassion, working with empathy, respect, and openness. You act with Passion for the Consumer, serving as a brand ambassador and keeping the consumer at the heart of your decisions. You demonstrate Decisiveness and Excellence, making confident choices and delivering high-quality results. Finally, you believe in Empowering, Supporting, and Growing People, helping colleagues develop, sharing knowledge, and building trust across the team.

What you can expect

We’re asking for a lot, but you’ll be well-rewarded with:

• Continuous Learning: Guidance from Mentors and structured training initiatives.
• Opportunities for career growth, within Canada and Globally.
• A purpose-driven company with ambitious goals
• A social work environment with enthusiastic colleagues

We provide a competitive base salary along with a comprehensive benefits package that is covered by the employer. This package includes a range of benefits such as dental care, extended health coverage, a healthcare spending account, life insurance, paid time off, RRSP matching, tuition reimbursement, vision care, casual dress code, participation in company events, the option for remote work, and a fantastic Beer Benefit. Eligible employees may also receive bonuses as part of our supplemental pay options.

CARLSBERG GROUP: BREWING FOR A BETTER TODAY AND TOMORROW

At Carlsberg our diverse perspectives, unique abilities and experiences make us who we are across the Group. With so many iconic brands, we know our differences are what make us stand out. WELCOME YOU is our commitment to promoting this culture and embracing it across all areas of our business. Carlsberg is a place where each of us belongs and where we can be at our best.

For us success has always been in the diverse mix of our people, our beers, and our brands. We want to recruit and develop people with a global mindset, cultural understanding, and international experience to ensure that our organization stays agile, inclusive, and prepared for future growth. Only by acknowledging and harvesting from different perspectives and experiences, will we gain competitive advantage and leverage the effect of diversity for business growth. Carlsberg aims to create equal access to opportunity regardless of social identity, and we encourage everyone to apply regardless of gender, nationality, race, religion, disabilities, or any other characteristics.