Qa Manager

Pilgrim's Europe; Bodmin; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Company pension

Life assurance

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Employee discounts

Training opportunities

Career progression

Professional qualifications support

Friendly team

On-site parking

Job summary

Pilgrim'S Europe in Bodmin is seeking a QA Manager to lead the Quality Assurance function at our Bodmin site. You will ensure food safety, legality, and quality while developing a high‑performing QA team.

The role requires setting and maintaining high standards, leading audits, and driving continuous improvement in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. Strong leadership and decision‑making skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety qualification (or working towards).
• Level 3 HACCP qualification (or working towards).
• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent), including English, Maths and Science.
• Food-related degree or at least three years' experience in the food industry.
• Qualification in Microbiology.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the site QA team, ensuring skills, knowledge, and resources are in place.
• Support production teams in delivering products that meet specification.
• Manage NCRs, concessions, customer complaints, and investigations.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor site Technical and Quality KPIs and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Oversee swabbing and sampling programmes and address out-of-spec results.
• Lead the GMP audit programme and support audits by customers and third parties.
• Ensure completion of actions from audits and inspections.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement in safety and quality.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Champion health and safety standards within the department.

Skills

QA management

Internal audits

Food safety

GMP standards

Communication

Stakeholder mgmt

Root Cause Analysis

IT skills

Team leadership

Education

Level 3 Food Safety qualification

Level 3 HACCP qualification

GCSEs (English, Maths, Science)

Food-related degree or 3 years' experience

Microbiology qualification

Job description

Contract Type - Permanent, Full-time, site-based

Are you a passionate Quality Assurance professional with experience in food manufacturing? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where food safety, quality, and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything you do?

We are looking for a QA Manager to lead our Quality Assurance function at our Bodmin site. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in maintaining the highest standards of food safety, legality, quality, and traceability while developing a high-performing QA team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the site QA team, ensuring appropriate skills, knowledge, and resources are in place.
• Support production teams in delivering products that consistently meet specification.
• Manage non-conformance reports (NCRs), concessions, customer complaints, and associated investigations.
• Drive effective root cause analysis and implementation of corrective and preventative actions.
• Monitor and manage site Technical and Quality KPIs, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Oversee swabbing and sampling programmes, ensuring all activities are completed on time and any out-of-specification results are addressed.
• Lead the site's GMP audit programme and support customer and third-party audits.
• Ensure completion of actions arising from internal and external audits.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, food safety, and quality excellence.
• Build strong working relationships with both internal stakeholders and external customers and agencies.
• Champion health and safety standards across the department.

About You

We're looking for someone who can balance attention to detail with strong leadership and decision-making skills.

You will ideally have:

• Experience in a Quality Assurance or Technical role within the food manufacturing industry.
• Experience conducting internal audits.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, quality systems, and GMP standards.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to make informed decisions quickly in relation to food safety, legality, and quality.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA) experience.
• Good IT and reporting skills.
• A collaborative, team-oriented approach with a passion for developing others.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety qualification (or working towards).
• Level 3 HACCP qualification (or working towards).
• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent), including English, Maths, and Science.
• Food-related degree or at least three years' experience within the food industry.
• Qualification in Microbiology.

Why Join Us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact within a business committed to delivering safe, high-quality products. You'll be part of a supportive team environment where continuous improvement, professional development, and operational excellence are valued every day.

• Generous holiday allowance plus bank holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• Employee discount platform
• Training and development opportunities
• Career progression within a leading food manufacturing business
• Support for professional qualifications and ongoing learning
• Friendly and collaborative team culture
• Free on-site parking

What You'll Gain

• The opportunity to lead and shape the site's Quality Assurance function
• A key leadership role influencing food safety, quality, and operational excellence
• Exposure to customer and third-party audits in a highly regulated environment
• The chance to develop and mentor a talented QA team
• A culture that values continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability