Lead Auditor

Position Title: Lead Auditor – GLOBAL G.A.P. QMS & IFA Version 6
Employment Type: Full-time
Experience: 7+ years
Location: Mumbai/Pune - Extensive Travel Required
Department: Global GAP & Sustainability

Company Overview: FoodChain ID is a global leader in food safety, regulatory compliance, and sustainability solutions. We support organizations across the food and agriculture value chain with certification, advisory, and data-driven services that help bring safe, compliant, and sustainable products to market. With teams across the globe, we combine deep technical expertise with practical, market-focused solutions to help customers navigate complex regulatory and certification landscapes

Role Overview: The Lead Auditor – GLOBAL G.A.P. QMS & IFA Version 6 is responsible for conducting and reporting GLOBAL G.A.P. certification audits for producer groups, multisite operations, and farms. The role evaluates compliance with QMS and IFA Version 6 requirements, identifies nonconformities, reviews corrective actions, and ensures adherence to certification and accreditation standards. The position requires strong technical expertise in agriculture, excellent stakeholder management skills, and extensive travel to audit sites across India.

Key Responsibilities:

1. GLOBAL G.A.P. Certification Audits
• Plan, conduct, and report GLOBALG.A.P. certification, recertification, extension, and other applicable audits.
• Conduct GLOBALG.A.P. QMS audits for Option 2 producer groups and Option 1 multisite producers with QMS.
• Ensure audit activities are conducted in accordance with applicable GLOBALG.A.P. General Regulations and certification body procedures.
• Prepare audit plans and effectively manage audit time and sampling activities.

2. QMS Auditing
• Evaluate the design, implementation, and effectiveness of the producer group's Quality Management System.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the QMS in ensuring consistent implementation of GLOBAL G.A.P. requirements across producer group members and/or production sites.
• Audit the organizational structure, roles, responsibilities, and competency of QMS personnel.
• Evaluate producer/member approval and registration processes.
• Assess internal farm audit and internal QMS audit systems.
• Evaluate document and record control systems.
• Assess complaint management, nonconformity management, corrective actions, and sanctions.
• Evaluate product traceability, segregation, identification, and mass balance systems.
• Verify management review and continual improvement processes.

3. IFA Version 6 Farm Auditing
Conduct detailed farm-level audits covering applicable GLOBALG.A.P. IFA Version 6 requirements, including:
• Farm site management and production activities.
• Traceability and product identification.
• Parallel ownership and applicable segregation controls.
• Food safety risk assessments.
• Compliance to IFA V6 requirements

4. Risk-Based Auditing
• Apply risk-based thinking while maintaining full compliance with applicable GLOBALG.A.P. audit and
checklist requirements.
• Identify high-risk processes, products, farms, sites, and activities during audit planning.
• Use professional judgment to expand sampling and investigation where significant risks or
inconsistencies are identified.

5. Nonconformity and Corrective Action Management
• Identify and clearly document nonconformities against applicable GLOBALG.A.P. requirements.
• Review root cause analysis, correction, and corrective action submitted by clients.
• Evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of corrective action evidence.
• Conduct follow-up verification or additional audit activities where required.
• Ensure nonconformity closure is completed within applicable certification timelines.

6. Audit Reporting
• Prepare accurate, complete, and technically sound audit reports.
• Complete the applicable GLOBALG.A.P. QMS and IFA checklists.
• Record sufficient objective evidence to support conformity and nonconformity conclusions.
• Submit audit reports and supporting documentation within defined timelines.
• Respond to technical review queries and provide appropriate clarification or additional evidence.
• Ensure confidentiality and integrity of client and certification information.

7. Technical and Scheme Compliance
• Maintain current knowledge of GLOBALG.A.P. IFA Version 6, QMS requirements, General Regulations, and applicable technical updates.
• Completely required GLOBALG.A.P. training, examinations, and competency maintenance activities.
• Maintain auditor approval and competency for assigned scopes and product categories.
• Participate in witness audits, office assessments, integrity assessments, and accreditation assessments.
• Implement applicable certification body procedures and accreditation requirements.
• Support implementation of GLOBALG.A.P. technical updates and scheme changes.
• Immediately report potential integrity issues, conflicts of interest, or serious certification risks to the Scheme Responsible for the Certification Manager.

What you bring to the table?
• High level of professional integrity, confidentiality, and impartiality.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to communicate with farmers, farm workers, producer group management, exporters, and senior
management.
• Knowledge of Marathi, Hindi and/or regional Indian languages is preferred.
• Willingness to travel extensively across India and, where required, internationally.
• Ability to work in agricultural and farm environments.
• Flexibility to conduct audits during crop production, harvesting, and produce handling periods.
• Ability to manage multiple audit assignments and demanding travel schedules.
• Handled GLOBALGAP Osapens platform as per audit requirements.

Key Performance Indicators – KPIs
Performance may be evaluated based on:
• Audit report quality and technical accuracy.
• Timely submission of audit reports.
• Quality and clarity of nonconformity statements.
• Technical review acceptance and number of report queries.
• Handle the Osapiens platform to meet Audit requirements.
• Compliance with GLOBAL G.A.P. and certification body procedures.
• Performance during witness and integrity assessments.
• Auditor competency maintenance.
• Client feedback related to professionalism and audit management.
• Audit productivity and effective audit time management.
• Contribution to auditor development and technical calibration.

Why Join Us?
At FCID, our certification outcomes are only as strong as the inspectors who lead them. As a Senior Inspector, you will work across a diverse portfolio of organic certification schemes, leading audit teams and setting the quality standard for those around you. With exposure to global accreditation frameworks and structured calibration programmes to keep your skills sharp, this is a role where your technical expertise and leadership will carry real weight.