QA Supervisor

Zest; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest is recruiting a Quality Supervisor for a well‑established food manufacturer. This hands‑on role reports to the Technical Manager and leads the QA team across production, hygiene and technical teams.

You will gain broad exposure to audits, lab management, root cause analysis and training, setting you on a path toward a future Quality Manager role. You will oversee daily quality audits, manage laboratory sampling, and deliver food safety training while supporting external audits and customer

Qualifications

• At least one year’s experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Level 2 Food Safety and HACCP as a minimum.
• Understanding of food safety legislation, GMP and third‑party audit requirements.
• Hands‑on approach; comfortable working with production teams.
• Ability to train and coach staff and drive quality improvement.
• Organised, methodical, good written and verbal communication, numeracy.
• Computer literacy; comfortable with new systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily quality audits of production records, including CCPs and QCPs.
• Lead and guide the QA team; liaise with production and hygiene teams.
• Deliver food safety training to production and QA staff; maintain training records.
• Manage laboratory sampling and review results; investigate out-of-spec results.

Skills

Food safety

HACCP

GMP

Audits

Lab management

Root cause analysis

Training & coaching

Quality improvement

Education

GCSEs

Science degree (advantageous)

Tools

LIMS

Job description

We're recruiting a Quality Supervisor for an established food manufacturer. This role suits someone ambitious who wants to build the experience needed to step up into Quality Management. It's a hands-on role with plenty of day-to-day contact with the production team, supporting them on food safety and making sure standards stay high. Reporting to the Technical Manager, you'll lead the QA team, work across production, hygiene and technical, and get broad exposure to audits, lab management, root cause analysis and training. That's the groundwork for a future Quality Manager role.

The role:

• Oversee daily quality audits of production records, including CCPs and QCPs, and spot-check production paperwork
• Lead and guide the QA team, and work closely with production and hygiene teams so checks are completed accurately and on time
• Deliver food safety training such as CCP and allergen awareness to production and QA staff, and keep training records up to date
• Manage laboratory sampling (product, allergen and environmental), review results, and handle out-of-specification results through root cause analysis
• Carry out metal detection verification, checkweigher checks and chiller/freezer temperature monitoring, and ensure the calibration programme is followed
• Run internal audits, including glass and hard plastic, GMP and traceability exercises
• Complete weekly shelf-life checks on raw materials, working with specification technologists on supplier extensions
• Issue new recipes and QA standards to production, and raise internal concessions where appropriate
• Support customer complaint investigations, and support the Technical Manager during external audits

What you'll bring:

• At least one year's experience in a manufacturing environment
• Level 2 Food Safety and HACCP as a minimum
• An understanding of food safety legislation, GMP and third‑party audit requirements
• A hands‑on approach and confidence working alongside production teams
• The ability to train and coach staff and drive quality improvement
• An organised, methodical approach, strong written and verbal communication, and good numeracy
• Computer literacy and comfort with new systems
• GCSE-level education; a degree in food science, nutrition or a related science is advantageous but not essential
• Ambition to progress, and a drive to develop your leadership and technical skills toward a Quality Manager role
• Desirable: an understanding of production processes and machinery, and experience managing customer expectations