QA -Food Safety Specialist

gategroup; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

gategroup is seeking a Quality Assurance Specialist to safeguard safety and quality of on-site products, ensuring adherence to specified standards and supporting airline requirements. You will drive QA culture across departments, participate in audits, and implement processes that improve compliance and traceability.

The role involves maintaining QA KPIs, performing goods-in checks, coordinating with suppliers on quality issues, and supporting compliance activities with the H&S team.

Qualifications

• Experience in QC/QA within airline catering or manufacturing is preferred.
• Strong leadership and ability to manage, motivate and develop a team.
• Capacity to work alone or in a team, under pressure and beyond standard hours.

Responsibilities

• Ensure QA KPIs are met and report to stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis and CAPA activities where relevant.
• Support customer audits including audit prep, tasting and evaluation.

Skills

QC/QA experience

Team leadership

Ability to work under pressure

Overtime flexibility

Education

HACCP Level 3

Food Safety Level 3

NEBOSH (preferred)

Job description

As the Quality Assurance Specialist, you will be responsible for safety and quality of products manufactured on site to agreed quality specifications and standards and delivery of agreed departmental agreement with the airlines. The role is responsible for driving a culture of Quality Assurance across all departments and with all external customers. In this role, you will participate in customer audits and be responsible for implementation of processes that drive improvement and compliance to the Quality and Traceability standards

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure planned quality KPIs are met or exceeded, and internal stakeholders receive reports in a timely manner.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis and Root Cause Corrective Action activities when relevant.
• Support with customer audits including audit preparation, meal tasting and evaluation.
• Monthly menu change readiness including specifications readiness along with support on the shop floor ensuring smooth start up.
• Conduct Goods-in checks, Product Tests and Assessment on food products/ items received either from external suppliers or our internal Hot Kitchen. Liaise directly with suppliers on any failures/improvements to the process.
• Responsible for internal auditing of food product safety and quality matters.
• Oversight of all food safety documentation/ records to ensure correctly completed and filed appropriately. Manage any issues of incorrect / non-completion to avoid repeat occurrences.
• Support and work closely with the Compliance Manager to prevent food safety events occurring.
• Implement an internal quality system and verify the operational activities comply with company, customer and regulatory standards.
• Perform on the job training/ briefing (New / Refresher) for all food critical activities (CCP, OPRP).
• Support the internal/ external complaint process investigation along with root cause analysis, CAPA and coordinating all documents for final presentation / review by Compliance.
• Responsible for the calibration and verification program for all monitoring devices – i.e. temperature and weights
• Perform monthly micro swabbing/ sampling and weekly ATP test.Facilitate internal and external audits.
• Overseeing the group’s internal portal gateperform activities to ensure that all reports are updated in a timely manner and do not go overdue.
• Working closely with the production team on rotation of products, including FIFO
• Liaising with the H&S department on any issues.
• Any other ad-hoc requests from Compliance.

Qualifications

Education:

• Level 3 HACCP or commitment to complete
• Level 3 Food Safety or commitment to complete
• Level 3 Workplace Health & Safety / NEBOSH Certification preferred but not essential

Work Experience:

• Previous experience of QC/ QA preferably in an airline catering or manufacturing environment
• Previous experience of efficiently managing, motivating, and developing a team is essential
• Ability to work in a team or alone
• Ability to work under pressure
• Be able to work additional hours as overtime may be required