Quality Assurance Specialist - Food Manufacturing

About Belazu

Belazu has been a leading supplier of chef-grade ingredients for over 30 years, recognised as a Silver Standard Investor in People, a Sunday Times Best Place to Work nominee, and a certified B Corp business. The company upholds ethical values, balancing people, product, planet, and profits. Its diverse workforce contributes to a positive culture and accolades like the 2025 Spotlight Award nomination for ethnic minority employment experience.

Our Values

We prioritize integrity in all internal and external relationships and commit to continuous development in skills, products, partnerships, and positive societal impact. We embrace diversity across all facets, welcoming contributions from varied backgrounds, beliefs, and identities.

Role Purpose

This role is essential in maintaining product quality, legality, authenticity, and food safety throughout Belazu's manufacturing operations. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with company systems, HACCP controls, customer standards, and BRCGS requirements through audits, testing, investigations, calibration, and environmental monitoring in partnership with multiple departments. Success is measured by early detection of issues, thorough corrective actions, precise record keeping, and fostering a strong food safety and quality culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct internal audits covering GMP, hygiene, equipment integrity (fabrication, glass, brittle plastic), and HACCP standards.
• Identify and document non-conformances, verify corrective measures, and analyze trends to drive improvements.
• Validate critical control points (CCPs), procedural adherence, and operator competencies; escalate issues when standards lapse.
• Perform product quality tests, including organoleptic assessments, pH, water activity, and salt content checks to confirm compliance.
• Authorize work-in-progress product releases, conduct finished product label verifications, and inspect raw materials as necessary.
• Investigate out-of-specification results alongside Production to ensure specification alignment.
• Handle investigations of customer complaints, internal non-conformities, and quality concerns, facilitating root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Manage concessions, record supplier non-conformances, and oversee quarantine procedures.
• Assist the QA Manager with problem-solving, evidence collection, and audit or customer requirements preparation.
• Execute internal calibrations and equipment verification for tools such as pH meters, water activity meters, salt refractometers, and scales.
• Perform environmental swabbing activities, including ATP, Listeria, and allergen monitoring according to site protocols.
• Coordinate external microbiological laboratory testing, communicate results, and support data trending.
• Support the achievement of QA KPIs and broader quality, food safety, health and safety, and socio-environmental goals.
• Collaborate effectively with Production, Hygiene, Engineering, NPD, and Technical Services teams to sustain standards and resolve issues promptly.
• Champion a right-first-time mentality and contribute actively to continuous quality assurance improvements.

Candidate Profile

Knowledge & Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience in food science or a related discipline.
• Strong grasp of food safety principles, HACCP, BRCGS standards, GMP, and quality management systems.
• Familiarity with food preservation approaches and general food technology.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Outlook and Excel.
• Effective English communication skills, both written and oral.

Experience

• Preferably at least one year in a similar QA, technical, or food manufacturing environment.
• Recent graduates with relevant educational backgrounds also encouraged to apply.
• Experience in high-care and pasteurisation production settings is advantageous.
• Exposure to audits, product testing, swabbing, or non-conformance investigations is beneficial.

Skills & Behaviours

• Strong commitment to quality, legality, authenticity, and food safety in daily work.
• Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accurate audits, testing, and record-keeping with a right-first-time mindset.
• Logical problem-solving abilities to troubleshoot and implement corrective actions effectively.
• Organizational skills to manage multiple audits, tests, samples, and deadlines efficiently.
• Proactive approach to quickly escalate and own issues when standards are compromised.
• Ability to influence colleagues to maintain procedural compliance and high standards consistently.
• Clear communication to maintain close coordination with various internal teams.
• Customer-oriented mindset supporting excellent service through timely, accurate quality control.

Background and Stakeholder Interaction

• Typical previous roles include Quality Assurance Assistant, QA Auditor, Technical Assistant, or FMCG Auditor.
• Collaborative work relationships with QA Manager, Hygiene, NPD, Technical Services, Production, and Engineering departments.

Inclusion and Diversity

Belazu fosters a respectful, discrimination-free workplace where everyone is encouraged to be authentic and thrive. Candidates who meet most but not all criteria are warmly invited to apply if enthusiastic about joining the team.