Job Purpose The Supplier Quality Assurance Technologist is responsible for onboarding, maintaining, and monitoring raw material producers and suppliers.This role ensures the integrity and quality of the supply base through comprehensive Supplier Quality Assurance activities, including the collection and maintenance of documentation, risk assessments, supplier visits, audits, and ongoing monitoring and reporting. By fostering strong supplier relationships and driving continual improvement, the technologist contributes to the overall reliability, compliance, and performance Reporting to: Technical ManagerOutput:
Supplier Onboarding & Raw Material Approval
Supplier & Raw Material Approval
Key technical support related to supplier and raw material maintenance and approval across departments, including Procurement, Planning, Warehousing, Product Development and Quality Assurance.
Approval of new raw material suppliers, new abattoirs and all raw materials supplied
Key Technical Supplier Contact and Liaison.
Provide technical support to suppliers for approval when required.
Obtaining, archiving and maintenance of all supplier documentation and certification required during the approval process.
Obtaining relevant documentation required per raw material, completing trials with multidisciplinary teams at the various sites and compilation of approval reports.
Archiving reports and supporting documentation for each raw material approved.
Updating the risk and vulnerability assessments.
Supplier Documentation
Maintenance of supplier records for the Group (e.g. Abattoirs, Deboning Facilities, Packaging suppliers & Ingredient suppliers).
Ensuring all documentation relevant for each supplier is on record, up to date and complete.
Reviewing of raw material specifications.
Supplier Performance & Communication
Supplier Performance
Coordinate the supplier performance score system across sites, incorporating raw material compliance and other QC/QA activity outcomes.
Compilation and distribution of trend reports internally and/or externally.
Flag re-occurring or trending issues.
Provide technical support to suppliers towards full compliance when required.
Technical support documents
Compilation, maintenance and distribution of technical documentation (e.g. accept rejects, work instructions, guidance documents, farm declarations) to ensure compliance and support final product quality.
Compliance monitoring
Supplier visits & compliance
Execute supplier compliance monitoring program, including monitoring activities and auditing of suppliers.
Compilation and communication of audit and trend reports.
Driving close-out of findings.
Technical support to suppliers when required.
Audits & Visits
Supporting factories throughout the group during external audits when required and related to SQA activities.
Pro-actively testing traceability systems for complete raw material traceability to assure audit readiness.
Performing traceability and providing required supporting supplier related documentation during external audits.
Investigate and close-out SQA related non-conformances.
Meat Quality
Internal Auditing of Animal Welfare compliance at Abattoirs.
Assessing and recording animal welfare parameters during supplier visits.
Flagging and ensuring closeout of non-conformances related to animal welfare and residue monitoring (external and internal).
Logging, raising, follow-up and closeout of nonconformances to the applicable supplier to ensure supplier performance.
Research and Development
New Product Development Support
Participate and provide support during NPD trials and final product evaluation specifically involving new or a change in raw material.
Ensuring all raw material is approved and documentation is on record prior to launch/production.
R&D Projects
Plan and coordinate projects towards improvement in overall reliability, compliance, and performance of the Supply Base.
Compilation and communication of reports and archiving of supporting documentation and records.
Implementation of trial findings for continual improvement.
Participate in company projects and provide support to the team where required.
Preparation of samples and dispatch to the relevant parties when needed.
Qualification details
BSc or BConSci in Food Sciences, Hospitality/Retail or Agricultural supply chain
Experience
FMCG experience will be advantageous
Working hours Monday to Friday from 07h00 – 17h00 Candidate will be required to travel to suppliers on a regular basisFunctional Competencies