Quality Lead GA at Kerry

• To lead and develop the food safety and quality function across multiple manufacturing sites and third-party manufacturing (TPM) partners in Africa. The role ensures robust implementation of food safety systems, fosters a strong quality culture, and guarantees the delivery of safe, high-quality food ingredients to customers. This is a customer-facing role requiring strong collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Leadership & Strategy
• Lead and mentor site and TPM Quality and Food Safety teams across the region.
• Train and develop competencies for the current team members in the quality function across GA and the TPMs 
• Develop and execute the regional quality strategy aligned with global standards and local regulatory requirements.
• Champion a proactive quality culture through training, engagement, and leadership.
• Food Safety & Compliance
• Ensure implementation and maintenance of food safety systems (e.g., HACCP, FSSC 22000, BRC) across all company-owned and TPM sites.
• Monitor compliance with internal standards, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Lead internal, supplier, and third-party audits, ensuring timely closure of non-conformities and continuous improvement.
• Third-Party Manufacturing (TPM) Management 
• Qualify, audit, and monitor TPM partners to ensure adherence to company quality and food safety standards.
• Establish and maintain quality agreements with TPMs, including KPIs and escalation protocols.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Supply Chain, and Operations to manage quality risks and drive continuous improvement at TPM sites.
• Provide technical support and training to TPMs to build capability and ensure consistent product quality.
• Operational Excellence
• Integrate quality systems with TPM and internal site TPM initiatives to drive continuous improvement.
• Analyze quality KPIs and trends to identify risks and opportunities.
• Collaborate with operations to reduce quality-related losses and improve product consistency.
• Customer Engagement
• Act as the regional quality representative in customer interactions, audits, and complaint resolution.
• Translate customer feedback into actionable improvements at both internal and TPM sites.
• Support new product development and commercialization from a quality perspective.

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field.
• Minimum 8–10 years of experience in food quality and safety, with at least 3 years in a regional or multi-site leadership role.
• Experience in a multinational food or ingredients company is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience managing third-party manufacturing quality systems.
• Certification in food safety systems (e.g., FSSC 22000) and auditing (e.g., Lead Auditor certification) is a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with SPC methodologies, Lean, or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Technical Expertise
• Strong knowledge of food safety systems and regulatory frameworks (e.g., FSSC 22000, BRC).
• Expertise in hygiene and sanitation, including cleaning validation, environmental monitoring, and allergen control.
• Solid foundation in microbiology, including pathogen control, indicator organisms, and lab result interpretation.
• Proficiency in risk assessment methodologies (e.g., HACCP, TACCP, VACCP, FMEA).
• Demonstrated experience in auditing (internal, supplier, and third-party), including audit planning, execution, reporting, and CAPA management.
• Experience managing third-party manufacturing quality systems and supplier quality assurance.
• Leadership & Influence
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• Strong coaching, mentoring, and change management skills.
• Analytical Thinking
• Data-driven decision-making with strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience with root cause analysis tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA).
• Communication & Collaboration
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to build trust with internal teams, TPM partners, and customers.