Assistant Quality Manager - chilled manufacturing

Morgan McKinley; Cork; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan McKinley is actively recruiting a hands-on Quality professional for a chilled food manufacturing site in Ireland. The role focuses on quality assurance, food safety and regulatory compliance on the factory floor.

You will support audit readiness, lead non-conformity investigations and drive improvements across production to maintain high quality standards and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Experience in a quality/technical role within food manufacturing.
• Hands-on with production staff on the factory floor.
• Experience supporting regulatory inspections and audits.
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP and food safety principles.
• Experience with BRCGS or similar certification is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day operation of the site's Quality Management System and audit readiness.
• Assist with regulatory inspections, customer audits and third-party certifications.
• Implement and monitor HACCP, GMP, hygiene, and food safety standards.
• Work directly with production staff to ensure adherence to quality procedures.
• Monitor product quality from raw material to finished goods.
• Investigate non-conformances and support corrective actions.
• Collaborate with supervisors to resolve issues and prevent recurrence.
• Support customer complaint investigations and CAPA follow-ups.
• Coach staff on quality standards and food safety practices.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and record-keeping.

Skills

Quality assurance

Audit readiness

HACCP & GMP

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Food science/quality qualification

Tools

Documentation systems

Job description

The Opportunity

Our client, a well-established food manufacturing business, is seeking a hands-on Quality professional to support quality assurance, food safety and compliance within its chilled manufacturing operation.

This is an excellent opportunity for a practical, factory-floor-focused individual with experience supporting regulatory inspections, customer audits and food safety standards within a food manufacturing environment.

Working closely with Production, you will play a key role in maintaining quality standards, supporting audit readiness and driving a strong food safety culture across the site.

The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable managing quality documentation and working directly with production teams to resolve issues, improve compliance and ensure standards are consistently met.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day implementation of the site's Quality Management System, ensuring ongoing compliance and audit readiness.

• Assist with the preparation and management of regulatory inspections, customer audits and third-party certification audits.

• Support the implementation and monitoring of HACCP, GMP, hygiene and food safety standards across production.

• Work hands-on with production teams to ensure quality procedures are understood and followed.

• Monitor product quality throughout the manufacturing process, from raw material intake through to finished product dispatch.

• Conduct routine quality checks, inspections, environmental swabbing and microbiological monitoring.

• Investigate non-conformances, carry out root cause analysis and support the implementation of effective corrective actions.

• Work closely with production supervisors and operators to resolve quality issues and prevent recurrence.

• Support customer complaint investigations and follow up on corrective and preventive actions.

• Coach and guide production staff on quality standards, hygiene requirements and food safety best practices.

• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and help strengthen quality and operational performance.

• Maintain accurate quality records, audit documentation and compliance reporting.

Skills and Experience

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Previous experience in a Quality or Technical role within food manufacturing, preferably in a chilled environment.

• Practical experience supporting regulatory inspections and customer audits, including audit preparation, evidence gathering and corrective action follow-up.

• A hands-on approach to quality, with experience working directly with production staff on the factory floor.

• A sound understanding of HACCP, GMP, food safety principles and quality management systems.

• Experience working within a recognised food safety certification environment, such as BRCGS.

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to investigate issues and implement effective corrective actions.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage, coach and influence production teams.

• Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to maintaining standards.

• The ability to work independently while building effective relationships across the business.

• A relevant qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Quality or a related discipline would be advantageous.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a proactive Quality professional who enjoys being actively involved in day-to-day manufacturing operations rather than working solely in a systems or documentation-based role.

You will be confident supporting audits, identifying quality risks, working alongside production staff and ensuring food safety and customer requirements are consistently achieved.

Previous experience in chilled food manufacturing, combined with a practical approach to quality and a strong understanding of audit requirements, will be particularly valuable.