Head of Quality

BENEO; Mannheim; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive remuneration

International exposure

Senior leadership role

Job summary

Südzucker Group, based in Mannheim, seeks a Head of Quality to drive the quality strategy across CropEnergies and BENEO sites. You will lead site teams, align with Directors, and uphold product safety, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement across multiple locations.

The role requires a Master’s degree in a relevant field, extensive Quality Operations experience, and proven leadership across process industries.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant scientific or technical discipline.
• Several years of professional experience in Quality Operations.
• Experience in food, feed, chemical processing or similar process industries.
• Proven leadership of professional teams.
• Ability to translate strategic quality objectives into pragmatic actions across sites.

Responsibilities

• Implement the Group’s quality strategy across assigned manufacturing sites.
• Lead and develop quality and laboratory teams in cooperation with Site Directors.
• Ensure products meet internal guidelines, customer specifications and regulatory standards.
• Advise on quality-related OPEX and CAPEX to support plans.
• Lead safety investigations and crisis management to prevent non-compliant products.
• Standardize quality processes, laboratory workflows and testing methods across locations.
• Improve laboratory excellence and implement LIMS to strengthen data accuracy.
• Oversee customer complaints, documentation requests and third-party audits.

Skills

Quality Operations

Team Leadership

Cross-site collaboration

Strategic quality planning

Education

Master's degree in Chemistry/Bioscience/related

Tools

LIMS

Job description

Südzucker Group with headquarters in Mannheim is an international company at home in more than 30 countries. As a leading integrated group of companies, we want to contribute to a livable, healthy and sustainable world with plant-based solutions for nutrition, energy and beyond. Around 18,000 employees work to achieve this in our five segments. Your responsibility will cover CropEnergies and BENEO sites and business:

Head of Quality

Ethanol, Rice and Bio-Based Chemicals

In this strategic and operational leadership role, you will implement the Group’s quality strategy across your assigned manufacturing sites, translating quality standards, laboratory requirements and regulatory obligations into effective local processes.

Working closely with Site Directors and local quality and laboratory teams, you will strengthen the quality organization and a culture of product safety, compliance and continuous improvement.

Your key responsibilities

• Implement the Group’s quality strategy and policies, translating objectives into local priorities, processes and measurable KPIs.
• Lead and develop quality and laboratory teams in cooperation with Site Directors, building an aligned, professional technical community across locations.
• Ensure ethanol, rice and bio-based chemical products meet internal guidelines, customer specifications, product safety standards, third-party certifications and applicable international regulations.
• Advise Site Directors on quality-related OPEX and CAPEX to support annual operational plans and long-term quality capabilities.
• Lead food, feed and product safety investigations and local crisis management, ensuring containment, liaison with authorities when required, and prevention of non-compliant products entering the market.
• Standardize quality processes, laboratory workflows and testing methods in line with BENEO, CropEnergies and Südzucker Group guidelines.
• Improve laboratory operational excellence and cost efficiency, supporting hands-on LIMS implementation and use to strengthen testing consistency and data accuracy.
• Introduce testing procedures and hazard analyses before launching new products or product extensions.
• Oversee customer complaints, specialized documentation requests and third-party audits to support customer satisfaction and maintain industry-leading quality certifications.

Your Profile

• You hold a Master’s degree in a relevant scientific or technical discipline such as: Chemistry, Biochemical or Bioscience Engineering, Bioengineering, Food Technology, Biotechnology, Industrial Microbiology,…
• You have several years of professional experience in Quality Operations.
• Your experience was gained within the food, feed, chemical processing or a comparable process-industry environment.
• You have proven experience in leading and developing professional teams.
• You are able to translate strategic quality objectives into pragmatic and effective actions at manufacturing-site level.
• You are comfortable working across different sites, business units and stakeholder groups.

We Offer

• This position offers the opportunity to take responsibility for quality across several specialized and internationally operating business segments and you will combine strategic quality leadership with direct operational impact
• A key seat at the table in shaping the future of well-established food and biotech businesses
• The backing of a leading European agribusiness group with a strong international presence
• A competitive remuneration package in line with the seniority and responsibility of the role

Südzucker promotes diversity! All employees (m/f/d) are welcome at our company, regardless of gender, cultural, religious or social background, sexual orientation or identity, origin or disability.