Head of Quality

About the Role:

We are looking for a Head of Quality to build and lead the company's quality function from the ground up.

The business currently operates across 24 states with a distributed network of 120 people involved across different touchpoints, but does not have a dedicated central quality function.

This role will be responsible for creating a centralised quality framework, setting consistent standards across the network, building quality systems and governance, and ensuring that quality is embedded across manufacturing, suppliers, distribution and other operating touchpoints.

This is a function-building role for someone who has strong hands-on expertise in Statistical Quality Control (SQC), Six Sigma, RCA/CAPA, process improvement and quality systems, and has experience managing quality across multiple sites or a distributed operating network.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Build the Central Quality Function

• Establish the quality function and operating model from the ground up.
• Define quality standards, policies, SOPs and governance mechanisms across the organisation.
• Establish clear ownership of quality at every operating touchpoint.
• Build a central quality team and develop quality capability across the wider organisation.
• Create a consistent quality culture across multiple locations.

2. Develop Quality Systems & Standards

• Define and implement a comprehensive Quality Management System.
• Establish standardised quality processes across sites, suppliers and operating locations.
• Develop quality manuals, SOPs, checklists, audit systems and escalation mechanisms.
• Establish central standards while ensuring local teams consistently follow them.
• Create systems for monitoring compliance and identifying gaps.

3. Statistical Quality Control & Six Sigma

• Implement SQC / statistical process control across relevant operations.
• Use data and statistical methods to identify process variation and quality risks.
• Apply Six Sigma, DMAIC, RCA, CAPA, FMEA, Kaizen and other structured quality methodologies where relevant.
• Establish measurable quality KPIs and dashboards.
• Drive continuous improvement rather than only reactive quality control.

4. Multi-site Quality Governance

• Build a quality framework that works consistently across multiple states and operating locations.
• Conduct regular audits and quality reviews across sites and partners.
• Identify systemic quality issues and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Establish a central review mechanism for quality performance.
• Ensure learnings from one location are standardised across the wider network.

5. Supplier & Partner Quality

• Establish quality standards and qualification processes for suppliers and external partners.
• Develop supplier audit, evaluation and performance-monitoring frameworks.
• Drive corrective actions for supplier-related quality issues.
• Work with procurement and operations teams to ensure quality is considered in vendor selection.
• Establish consistent quality expectations for third-party manufacturing/operating partners where applicable.

6. Distribution & Operational Quality

• Develop quality standards across the distribution and operating network.
• Establish controls to identify and minimise quality deterioration during storage, handling and movement.
• Build processes for monitoring quality at different customer-facing touchpoints.
• Analyse customer complaints, quality incidents and recurring issues to identify root causes.
• Create closed-loop RCA/CAPA processes.

7. Quality Metrics & Governance

Build a clear quality scorecard covering areas such as:

• Defect rates
• Customer complaints
• Supplier quality
• Audit compliance
• Process capability
• CAPA closure
• Non-conformances
• Quality incidents
• Root-cause trends
• Cost of poor quality
• Site/partner quality performance

Establish regular weekly/monthly quality reviews with business and operating leadership.

8. Cross-functional Leadership

• Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Manufacturing, Product, Sales and Customer Experience teams.
• Ensure quality is incorporated into new product launches and process changes.
• Partner with leadership to identify systemic quality risks.
• Balance quality requirements with business scalability and operational realities.
• Act as the central quality authority for the organisation.

What We Are Looking For:

• 12–20 years of experience.
• Strong experience in Quality / QA / Quality Systems / Food Safety.
• Experience managing quality across multiple plants, sites, suppliers or a distributed network.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of:
• Statistical Quality Control (SQC)
• Six Sigma
• SPC
• RCA / CAPA
• FMEA
• Kaizen / continuous improvement
• Quality Management Systems
• Experience building or significantly transforming a quality function.
• Strong understanding of audits, quality standards, SOPs and compliance.
• Experience working with third-party manufacturing/supplier networks is preferred.
• Strong data-driven and problem-solving orientation.
• Ability to influence teams without relying only on hierarchical authority.

Preferred Background

Experience in one or more of the following would be relevant:

• Food & FMCG
• Fresh Food
• Dairy
• Packaged Foods
• Frozen Foods
• Ready-to-Eat / Ready-to-Cook
• Beverage
• Consumer Products
• Food Manufacturing
• Multi-site food/consumer operations

Candidates from adjacent industries may also be considered if they have strong multi-site quality systems + Six Sigma/SQC + function-building experience.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is someone who has already dealt with a complex, distributed quality environment and can build a central system rather than simply manage quality at one plant.

You should be able to demonstrate:

Quality systems → SQC/Six Sigma → Multi-site governance → Supplier/partner quality → RCA/CAPA → Function building

We are particularly interested in people who have built quality processes from scratch or transformed an immature quality setup into a structured, measurable system.

This Role Is NOT

This is not a traditional single-plant QA/QC role.

We are not looking for someone whose experience is limited to:

• Routine plant inspections
• Laboratory testing only
• Documentation/compliance without process ownership
• Food safety audits without broader quality systems
• Managing quality at one manufacturing site

The role requires someone who can think enterprise-wide and build a quality function across a distributed network.

Key Success Measures

In the first 12–18 months, success would include:

• Central quality function established.
• Standardised quality framework implemented across the network.
• Clear SOPs, quality standards and governance mechanisms in place.
• Quality KPIs and dashboards established.
• SQC / statistical quality practices embedded where relevant.
• Supplier and partner quality framework implemented.
• Strong RCA/CAPA process established.
• Regular multi-site quality audits and reviews operational.
• Reduction in recurring quality issues and customer complaints.
• Quality ownership embedded across the organisation.

Key Attributes

• High ownership and strong execution orientation.
• Data-driven and analytical.
• Strong problem-solving ability.
• Comfortable building from scratch.
• Strong stakeholder management.
• Ability to operate across multiple locations.
• Willingness to be hands-on while building the function.
• Strong understanding of both quality methodology and practical operations.