Quality Manager

ACS Staffing Solutions; Northampton; On-site; GBP 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer in Northampton is seeking a proactive Quality Manager to drive improvements and maintain high standards in a fast-paced environment. The role involves supporting audits, ensuring compliance, and leading a small technical team to enhance quality culture. Ideal candidates bring substantial experience in food manufacturing and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Benefits

Opportunities for professional development

Supportive family-driven culture

Visibility in technical standards improvement

Qualifications

• Experienced in managing quality within a food manufacturing environment.
• Familiar with supplying into retail and foodservice customers.
• Experience in major certification audits, such as BRCGS.

Responsibilities

• Support successful third-party audits and ensure compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement across hygiene and product quality.
• Lead complaint investigations and develop corrective actions.

Skills

Quality management

Audit preparation

Root cause analysis

Continuous improvement

Food safety regulations

Job description

Quality Manager - Food Manufacturing

Location: Northampton

Salary: £42,000 per annum

Hours: Mon - Fri 7am -5pm / 6am - 4pm

Sector: Chilled Food

A fast-growing, family-run food manufacturer is seeking a proactive Quality Manager to join its on-site technical team. This is a key factory-based role for someone who wants to drive meaningful, daily improvement within a fast‑paced chilled environment. You'll help lead the site toward audit‑ready excellence, ensuring all products remain safe, legal, authentic, and consistently high in quality.

The Role

Working as part of a small, supportive technical team, you'll provide hands‑on quality leadership within a busy production site. You will be a central figure in maintaining and elevating standards, supporting major third‑party audits, and shaping a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the factory.

Key Responsibilities

• Support delivery of successful third‑party audits (e.g., BRCGS, Red Tractor, Organic, BMPA).
• Ensure the Quality Management System is fully embedded within factory operations.
• Drive continuous improvement across hygiene, GMP, fabrication, housekeeping, and finished product quality.
• Lead complaint and non‑conformance investigations, identifying root causes and driving reductions against KPIs.
• Update and improve procedures in line with legislation, customer expectations, and certification requirements.
• Conduct internal audits, close out actions, and maintain audit‑ready status.
• Lead factory tours and customer/third‑party audit visits.
• Maintain Quality Attribute Sheets to underpin product consistency.
• Develop and implement factory Quality Action Plans and quality‑focused CI initiatives.
• Support supplier performance through raw material monitoring and non‑conformance management.
• Contribute to the development of QACCP and verify quality controls across all areas.
• Coach, develop, and support QA/QC personnel to strengthen capability.
• Provide factory‑based training on quality and food safety best practice.
• Deputise for the Site Technical Manager when required.

About You

• Experienced in managing quality within a food manufacturing environment (high‑risk chilled experience advantageous).
• Confident working in a fast‑moving factory setting with the ability to influence behaviours.
• Familiar with supplying into retail and foodservice customers.
• Experienced in major certification audits and maintaining standards such as BRCGS.
• Analytical, organised, and committed to continuous improvement.
• Ambitious and on a professional development path toward a future Technical Manager role.
• Reliable, proactive, and able to build strong cross‑functional relationships.

What's on Offer

• Strong exposure to audits, standards, and customer/supplier engagement from the outset.
• Opportunities to contribute to site‑wide improvement initiatives within a supportive, family‑driven culture.
• The chance to make a visible impact daily and influence long‑term technical standards.

If you'd like to shape quality within a growing manufacturing site and thrive in a hands‑on, improvement‑focused environment, this is an excellent opportunity to take the next step in your technical career.