QA Specialist

Sonoco Products Co.; Spilamberto; On-site; EUR 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fixed-term contract (12 months)

Job summary

Sonoco Products Co. in Italy seeks a Quality Specialist to ensure product quality, customer satisfaction, and compliance with food safety standards.

Reporting to the Quality & WCP Manager, you will manage customer complaints, non-conformities, and continuous improvement initiatives across production, technical, and supply chain teams. You will drive root cause investigations, CAPA actions, and the application of SPC data to reduce defects and CONQ, while ensuring adherence to quality control

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a Quality role within manufacturing environments.
• Previous experience managing customer complaints, quality investigations, and non-conformities.
• Experience in complex industrial organisations is considered a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

• Ensure full compliance with Environmental, Health & Safety regulations and company policies.
• Manage customer complaints and technical quality requests, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
• Lead root cause investigations and coordinate corrective and preventive actions with cross-functional teams.
• Manage internal non-conformities and ensure proper segregation and disposition of non-conforming materials.
• Monitor compliance with quality control plans and quality procedures throughout the plant.
• Define and maintain product quality acceptance criteria.
• Analyze Statistical Process Control (SPC) data, identify trends, and promote improvements.
• Support operators and production teams in the application of quality standards and procedures.
• Drive continuous improvement projects aimed at reducing defects, customer complaints, and Cost of Non-Quality (CONQ).
• Participate in internal and external audits and support action plan implementation.
• Contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the Food Safety Management System.

Skills

Quality systems

Root cause analysis

SPC

Manufacturing processes

Customer quality

Data analysis

Food safety

Job description

About The Role

Reporting to the Quality & WCP Manager, the Quality Specialist plays a key role in ensuring product quality, customer satisfaction, and compliance with company standards and food safety requirements.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing customer complaints, technical quality requests, internal non-conformities, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Working closely with Production, Technical, and Supply Chain teams, the Quality Specialist will contribute to maintaining high quality standards, reducing non-quality costs, and enhancing operational performance.

As a member of the Food Safety Team, the role actively supports the implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Food Safety Management System through participation in risk assessments, hazard analysis, audits, and food safety-related investigations.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure full compliance with Environmental, Health & Safety regulations and company policies.
• Manage customer complaints and technical quality requests, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
• Lead root cause investigations and coordinate corrective and preventive actions with cross-functional teams.
• Manage internal non-conformities and ensure proper segregation and disposition of non-conforming materials.
• Monitor compliance with quality control plans and quality procedures throughout the plant.
• Define and maintain product quality acceptance criteria.
• Analyze Statistical Process Control (SPC) data, identify trends, and promote improvements.
• Support operators and production teams in the application of quality standards and procedures.
• Drive continuous improvement projects aimed at reducing defects, customer complaints, and Cost of Non-Quality (CONQ).
• Participate in internal and external audits and support action plan implementation.
• Contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the Food Safety Management System.

What We’re Looking For

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a Quality role within manufacturing environments.
• Previous experience managing customer complaints, quality investigations, and non-conformities.
• Experience in complex industrial organizations is considered a strong advantage.

Technical Skills

• Good knowledge of quality management systems and quality tools.
• Experience with root cause analysis methodologies (5 Why, Ishikawa, CAPA).
• Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC).
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with customer quality requirements and complaint management.
• Ability to analyze data and identify improvement opportunities.
• Knowledge of Food Safety standards and practices is considered a plus.

Personal Skills

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Analytical and problem-solving mindset.
• Excellent collaboration and teamwork skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
• Proactive attitude and continuous improvement mindset.
• Flexibility and adaptability.

Success Measures

The Effectiveness Of The Role Will Be Evaluated Through

• Customer complaint reduction.
• Reduction of Cost of Non-Quality (CONQ).
• Internal and external audit performance.
• Timely closure of corrective actions and non-conformities.
• Continuous improvement project results.
• Compliance with food safety and quality standards.

What We Offer

• A challenging role within an international manufacturing environment.
• Opportunity to contribute directly to quality and operational excellence initiatives.
• Continuous learning and professional development opportunities.
• Fixed-term employment contract (12 months).

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.