Compliance Officer & NPD Technologist

Abantu Staffing Solutions; East London; On-site; ZAR 334,800 - 558,000; Full time

Job summary

Abantu Staffing Solutions is seeking a Quality Assurance Specialist based in East London, South Africa. This role focuses on ensuring compliance with food safety standards and managing Supplier Quality Assurance programs.

Key responsibilities include maintaining audit readiness, supporting regulatory processes, and assisting in the New Product Development (NPD) lifecycle. Ideal candidates will have a relevant degree and strong background in quality assurance within the food manufacturing sector.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of FSSC 22000 and SAHPRA compliance.
• Experience in quality assurance programs within manufacturing.
• Proficient in audit preparation and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve the Supplier Quality Assurance programme.
• Support compliance with SAHPRA and Halaal certification.
• Ensure audit readiness for regulatory inspections.
• Implement and review New Product Development procedures.

Skills

Supplier Quality Assurance

Regulatory compliance

Food safety standards

Audit readiness

Education

Degree in a relevant field (Food Science, Quality Assurance, etc.)

Job description

Company & Role Overview:

Our client is a leading manufacturer of health supplements and complementary medicines, committed to innovation, quality, and compliance with food safety and regulatory standards. The focus of this role is to ensure effective implementation and compliance of the New Product Development (NPD) process, Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) programme, and relevant regulatory systems (FSSC 22000, SAHPRA, Halaal). The role supports product development, audit readiness, and continuous improvement of the Food Safety & Quality Management System (FSQMS).

Key Responsibilities:

Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA)

• Maintain and improve the SQA programme in line with FSSC 22000
• Manage approved supplier list and onboarding of new suppliers
• Ensure traceability readiness and support recalls/mock recalls

Regulatory & Certification Compliance

• Support SAHPRA compliance and documentation with QA Manager and Responsible Pharmacist
• Manage Halaal certification processes and stakeholder communication
• Ensure all documentation is audit-ready for regulatory inspections

Audits & FSQMS Support

• Maintain audit readiness for SQA and NPD systems
• Assist in audit preparation, reporting, and close-out of non-conformances where necessary
• Identify improvement opportunities within FSQMS, NPD, and production
• Promote food safety, quality standards, and compliance awareness
• Support corrective and preventative actions
• Assist with ad hoc QA and business needs

New Product Development (NPD)

• Implement and review NPD procedures and records
• Assist with research into and development of new products as directed
• Support product development, reformulation, and cost optimisation initiatives
• Preparation and submission of samples
• Manage NPD records, product packs, recipes, master sheets, and change control processes
• Manage and update production sheets
• Assist with production trials, scale-up issues and recipe adjustments
• Act as liaison between customers and internal teams
• Coordinate label updates, review, and approvals and maintain product documentation
• Arrange timely annual calibration of measuring equipment in the NPD Laboratory