Assistant Quality Assurance Manager

Americana Restaurants; Kuwait City; On-site; KWD 17,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Americana Restaurants in Kuwait City seeks a Quality Assurance leader to support the implementation and expansion of the quality management system across the market. The role involves managing the QA team, ensuring food safety, brand compliance and quality standards are maintained.

Responsibilities include executing the annual Quality Plan, auditing suppliers and stores, and driving improvements. The candidate will collaborate with Procurement, Supply Chain and Operations to ensure regulatory

Qualifications

• Detailed understanding of food safety management including HACCP, ISO, and GFSI.
• Good understanding of FS principles.
• Good working knowledge of compliance methodologies, e.g. Lead auditor, CIA.

Responsibilities

• Support the annual market Quality Plan execution to complete tasked activities.
• Assist in recruiting, training, development and management of specialists if there are direct reports.
• Follow Americana Quality Management system SOPs and advise stakeholders as needed.
• Support on food safety, quality opportunities, supplier and product approvals, audits and product surveillance.

Skills

Food safety management

FS principles

Compliance methodologies

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Job description

Job Purpose:

To support the implementation and expansion of the quality management system across the market. This will include effectively helping to manage the Quality Assurance team whilst ensuring Food safety, Brand compliance and quality standards are maintained.

Responsibilities:

• Provide support to execute the elements of the annual market Quality Plan (QP) to ensure all allocated tasks are completed through the year.


• If there are direct reports, then support in recruitment, training, development and management of specialist professionals.


• Follow all Americana Quality Management system SOPs and advise other stakeholders as needed.


• Provide support on all food safety, quality opportunities, and initiatives, including supplier and product approval, communicating and training standards and procedures. Ensure planned Suppliers, DC, commissary and store audits, and product surveillance programme are completed.


• Provide support on Local FS initiatives, including communicating standards and procedures. If Market QA Lead, then support with risk assessment, FS incident reporting and serious FS incident investigation.


• Analyse data, report on performance and identify opportunities to drive improvements as required by Line Manager.


• Communicate effectively and maintain good relations with internal functions and stakeholders (eg, Procurement, Supply Chain, Property Development, Maintenance, Operations) and external stakeholders (eg, franchisors, ministry officials, 3rd party auditors) to ensure legal compliance, safety and quality are top of mind in all business decisions.


• Support product localisation initiatives as required by Line Manager, working with vendors to develop ingredient/raw material to the required specification or Gold Standard.


• Ensure product quality is maintained and approved through delivery of product cutting and evaluations.


• Manage food complaints by ensuring prompt and satisfactory resolution through store and supplier investigation, root cause ID and effective actions.

Qualification: -

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Chemistry, Biology, Chemical engineering, or related field preferred.

Experience: -

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in quality assurance / QHSE in a relevant food sector: restaurant, food manufacturing or food processing.


• Minimum of 2 years in a commercial organisation management role preferred.


• Working knowledge of GMP and food safety regulations is mandatory.

Job Specific Skills:

• Detailed understanding of food safety management including HACCP, ISO, and GFSI.


• Good understanding of FS principles.


• Good working knowledge of compliance methodologies, eg, Lead auditor, certified internal auditor (CIA).


• Successfully manage relationships across multiple stakeholders.