Quality Control Manager / Dairy

Overview

• The Quality Control Manager is responsible for leading dairy quality control and assurance activities to ensure all raw materials, in-process products, finished goods, packaging, and storage conditions meet required food safety, regulatory, and customer standards.
• The role ensures consistent product quality, effective laboratory controls, audit readiness, corrective action management, and continuous improvement across dairy manufacturing operations.
• ►Responsibilities
• Lead the implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of quality control and assurance systems across dairy processing, packaging, storage, and distribution activities.
• Oversee testing and inspection of raw milk, ingredients, packaging materials, in-process products, and finished goods to ensure compliance with approved specifications and food safety standards.
• Ensure adherence to HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, sanitation, allergen control, traceability, shelf-life, and dairy regulatory requirements.
• Manage laboratory operations, microbiological and physicochemical testing, calibration programs, sampling plans, and product release procedures.
• Conduct internal audits, support external audits and regulatory inspections, and ensure timely closure of non-conformities, corrective actions, and preventive actions.
• Collaborate with production, R&D, procurement, maintenance, and supply chain teams to investigate quality deviations, customer complaints, and process issues.
• Train, mentor, and develop quality teams while promoting a strong culture of food safety, accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• ►Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Science, Dairy Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in quality control or quality assurance within dairy or food manufacturing, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of dairy quality parameters, including raw milk testing, microbiology, pasteurization controls, shelf-life evaluation, hygiene monitoring, and product release standards.
• In-depth understanding of HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, food safety management systems, traceability, regulatory compliance, and audit requirements.
• Proven experience managing laboratory activities, quality documentation, internal audits, corrective actions, customer complaints, and supplier quality issues.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with high attention to detail and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and reporting skills, with proficiency in English and the ability to engage effectively with senior management, auditors, and regulatory authorities.