Assistant QA Manager

atas distribution pte. ltd.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

atas distribution pte. ltd. is seeking a QA/Compliance professional to lead our food safety and quality programs. You will develop and maintain FSMS (HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000), conduct audits, and drive CAPAs across production, packaging, and QA laboratories.

The role requires hands-on leadership on the production floor, strong problem solving, and staff training abilities. You will coordinate with suppliers and management to ensure regulatory compliance and product safety.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Biotechnology, Quality Assurance, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in food manufacturing or related environment.
• Experience with HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, BRC, or FSSC food safety systems preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and improve FSMS including HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000 and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee daily production operations ensuring safety, hygiene and quality compliance.
• Manage cleaning, sanitation, and hygiene programs across facilities and equipment.
• Coordinate internal audits, inspections, and CAPA to close findings.
• Investigate customer complaints and non-conformances; drive root-cause analysis.
• Maintain QA records, batch docs, and traceability data.
• Coordinate with labs for product testing and verification.
• Train and develop production staff on GMP, hygiene and SOPs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to raise quality and reduce waste.
• Perform additional duties assigned by Management.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Staff training

Education

Diploma or Degree in Food Science/QA

Tools

QA documentation systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

1. Food Safety & Quality Management System

• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) including HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, SFA regulatory requirements, and internal quality procedures.
• Ensure all food manufacturing operations comply with company food safety policies, customer requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Review and update SOPs, work instructions, hygiene procedures, CCP records, and quality documentation regularly.

2. Production & Operational Oversight

• Work closely with Production team to ensure daily operations comply with food safety, hygiene, and quality requirements.
• Perform routine production floor inspections to ensure proper housekeeping, hygiene practices, operational discipline, and process control.
• Hands-on understanding and operation of food processing and packaging machinery to ensure proper cleaning, sanitation, maintenance awareness, and operational compliance.
• Monitor production processes including thawing, marination, mincing, packing, labeling, metal detection, temperature control, storage, and dispatch operations.
• Assist production team in troubleshooting process deviations, hygiene issues, and operational non-conformities.

3. Hygiene, Sanitation & Cleaning Management

• Oversee and verify cleaning and sanitation procedures for processing equipment, utensils, production rooms, chillers, freezers, and common areas.
• Ensure proper implementation of cleaning schedules, chemical usage, sanitation verification, and pest control programs.
• Conduct pre-operation and post-cleaning inspections to ensure production readiness and hygiene compliance.
• Educate and enforce proper personal hygiene and food handling practices among all staff.

4. Audits, Compliance & Inspections

• Conduct internal audits, GMP inspections, glass & brittle plastic inspections, hygiene inspections, and process verification checks.
• Coordinate and support external audits and inspections by customers, certification bodies, SFA, and other regulatory authorities.
• Prepare corrective and preventive action plans (CAPA) and follow up on audit findings until closure.
• Ensure traceability systems and mock recall exercises are properly maintained and executed annually.

5. Quality Assurance & Complaint Investigation

• Investigate customer complaints, product non-conformance, foreign matter cases, and food safety incidents.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor product quality consistency, sensory evaluation, raw material acceptance, and finished product specifications.
• Liaise with suppliers, production personnel, and management regarding quality-related matters.

6. Documentation & Record Management

• Maintain accurate QA records including CCP monitoring logs, temperature records, production checklists, sanitation records, calibration records, batch manufacturing records, and traceability documentation.
• Ensure proper filing, retention, and updating of all QA-related documents and reports.
• Prepare QA reports, trend analysis, and quality performance summaries for management review.

7. Laboratory & Product Verification

• Coordinate with external laboratories for microbiological, shelf-life, environmental swab, and product testing.
• Conduct daily physical, chemical, and sensory evaluations on raw materials and finished products.
• Monitor product specifications, labeling accuracy, allergen controls, and packaging integrity.

8. Training & Staff Development

• Conduct orientation and refresher training for production staff on GMP, food hygiene, SOPs, HACCP awareness, cleaning procedures, and workplace safety.
• Guide and supervise production personnel to ensure proper operational and hygiene practices are consistently followed.
• Assist management in evaluating production staff competency, discipline, hygiene awareness, and work performance.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and training of new production staff.

9. Cross-Functional Support

• Work closely with Production, Warehouse, Purchasing, and Management teams to improve operational efficiency and food safety standards.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to reduce wastage, contamination risks, customer complaints, and operational errors.
• Assist management in implementing new processes, products, equipment validation, and factory improvement projects.

10. Other Duties

• Perform any other duties or responsibilities assigned by Management.

Typical Requirements

Education

• Diploma or Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Biotechnology, Quality Assurance, or related field.

Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in food manufacturing, central kitchen, meat processing, seafood processing, or related food industry environment.
• Experience in HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, BRC, or FSSC food safety systems preferred.
• Hands‑on operational experience in production environments is highly advantageous.

Technical Knowledge

• Strong understanding of:
• HACCP & CCP monitoring
• GMP & hygiene standards
• Food manufacturing operations
• Cleaning & sanitation procedures
• Food traceability & recall systems
• Temperature control & cold chain management
• Root cause analysis & CAPA
• SFA food regulations

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Able to work independently and under pressure in fast‑paced manufacturing environments.
• Hands‑on, proactive, and willing to work on production floor.
• Good problem‑solving and staff training capability.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office and QA documentation systems.

Certifications

• Food Hygiene Officer / Food Hygiene Course Level 3 preferred.
• HACCP certification preferred.
• Internal Auditor certification is an advantage