Quality Assurance Manager

Whitworths; Irthlingborough; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Whitworths Ltd in Irthlingborough is seeking an experienced, hands-on Quality Assurance Manager to lead the QA team and ensure every product leaving the site meets high standards. You will be visible in the factory, turning data, audits and technical insight into improvements, with food safety, legality and quality built into everything we do.

Working with Operations, Supply Chain and Engineering, you’ll drive continuous improvement, manage internal audits, HACCP and customer compliance,

Qualifications

• 3+ years in technical or quality roles in food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Strong knowledge of food safety legislation and quality management systems.
• Experience implementing and improving food safety and quality processes.
• Understanding HACCP and driving compliance in manufacturing.
• Food Safety Level 3 and HACCP Level 2 qualifications.
• Strong investigation and root-cause analysis skills.
• Evidence-based decision making with clear communication.
• Excellent organisation and stakeholder management.
• Leadership to develop others.
• Auditing experience and, ideally, training qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the QA team, setting clear priorities.
• Ensure compliance with Quality Management System, BRC codes, HACCP and GMP.
• Manage internal audits and prepare the site for customer and external audits.
• Monitor quality KPIs and address emerging trends.
• Lead investigations into customer complaints and non-conformances.
• Oversee environmental, allergen and calibration programmes.
• Support incident and product recall management.
• Deliver technical training across the business.
• Collaborate with Factory Technical Manager on continuous improvement.
• Deputise for the Factory Technical Manager when required.
• Coordinate weekly taste panels.

Skills

Quality assurance leadership

Food safety regulations

Root cause analysis

Auditing

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Education

Food Safety Level 3

HACCP Level 2

Internal auditing training

Train-the-trainer qualification

Job description

About The Role

Quality Assurance Manager

Protect quality. Raise standards. Make a real impact.

At Whitworths, quality is everyone’s responsibility, but we need someone exceptional to lead the way.

We’re looking for an experienced, hands‑on QA Manager to lead our Quality Assurance team and ensure every product leaving our Irthlingborough site meets the high standards expected by our customers, consumers and, most importantly, ourselves.

This isn’t a role for someone who simply ticks boxes. You’ll be visible in the factory, close to the action and confident turning data, audits and technical insight into meaningful improvements.

Your mission

You’ll take ownership of factory quality performance, creating a culture where food safety, legality and quality are built into everything we do.

Working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering and the wider Technical team, you’ll:

• Lead, coach and develop our QA team, creating clear priorities and consistently high standards
• Ensure compliance with our Quality Management System, BRC standards, customer codes of practice, HACCP and GMP requirements
• Manage internal audits and help keep the site ready for customer visits and external audits
• Monitor quality KPIs, identify emerging trends and make sure issues are addressed before they become bigger problems
• Lead investigations into customer complaints, product incidents and non‑conformances – getting to the root cause and driving effective corrective action
• Oversee environmental, allergen and calibration programmes
• Support incident and product recall management
• Deliver engaging technical training across the business
• Work with the Factory Technical Manager to drive continuous improvement, strengthen standards and deliver key projects
• Deputise for the Factory Technical Manager when required

You’ll also coordinate our weekly taste panels – because quality should look good on paper and taste great too.

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a confident quality professional who is equally comfortable leading a team, challenging standards and working collaboratively across the factory.

We’re looking for:

• At least three years’ technical or quality experience within food manufacturing or FMCG
• Strong knowledge of food safety legislation and quality management systems
• Experience implementing and improving food safety and quality processes
• A sound understanding of HACCP and how to drive compliance in a busy manufacturing environment
• Food Safety Level 3 and HACCP Level 2 qualifications
• Strong investigation, problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis skills
• The confidence to make clear, evidence‑based decisions
• Excellent organisation, communication and stakeholder‑management skills
• A proactive, practical leadership style and a genuine desire to develop others

Internal auditing, HACCP Level 3 and train‑the‑trainer qualifications would be an advantage, as would experience working directly with customers and suppliers.

Why Whitworths?

You’ll join a business with a proud heritage, ambitious plans and a genuine appetite for improvement. This is an influential role where you’ll have the opportunity to shape standards, develop people and make changes that can be seen across the site.

We’re looking for someone who shares our STAR values: finding Solutions, working through Teamwork, taking Accountability and treating everyone with Respect.

If you can spot a trend before it becomes an issue, bring people with you and believe that great quality is created on the factory floor – not just recorded on a spreadsheet – we’d love to hear from you.

About Us

We’re on an exciting mission here at Whitworths – to help boost the nutrient intake of the nation, improving general health of families using the goodness found in our delicious products. We’re the only brand that gives a credibly nutritious boost to breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, baking and beyond.

There are obviously many other reasons to come and work with us, but the biggest reason is so that you have a job you love and a company you are proud to say you work for. You will receive a competitive salary, 33 days holiday, a workplace pension, and in addition, you’ll also have access to a number of family friendly, health and lifestyle benefits. Culturally, we believe strongly in investing in our people, developing them in role and developing their careers within Whitworths. Don't just take our word for it, our people say the same, as demonstrated by our recent accreditation from Investors In People.