Factory Quality and Food Safety Manager

Job Purpose : The primary purpose of this role is to serve as the site custodian of the Mars Quality Principle, ensuring that we deliver risk-free products of the highest quality standards to our consumers.

The Site Q&FS Manager leads all initiatives to develop, approve, implement, and validate food safety, quality, and legal compliance standards. The jobholder is responsible for ensuring that all necessary processes, controls, systems, and tools are in place to actively support the quality mission. Furthermore, they serve as the site custodian for all Key Quality Attributes (KQAs), Critical Control Points (CCPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and general Quality Systems. In the absence of other local R&D functions, the Site Q&FS Manager acts as the primary ambassador for R&D with both internal and external partners

Key Responsibilities:

Deploy and maintain a robust Mars Quality culture across the site.

• Lead the integration plans for Mars Quality and Food Safety standards at the Mass Food Site.
• Manage all Quality and Food Safety operations on-site.
• Deploy the MEA Q&FS/R&D strategic objectives and cascade them down to the site Q&FS team.
• Partner and align with Supply Chain, Operations, Technical, Finance, and Commercial teams to define, establish, and deploy the site's Q&FS priorities, objectives, accountabilities, and focus areas.
• Develop, implement, and maintain Mars Quality Management Systems (QMS), ensuring regular internal and external verifications.
• Establish and maintain mandatory external Quality certifications required for the site (e.g., FSSC 22000, ISO, BRC).
• Accountable for the planning, facilitation and execution of internal and external Q&FS audits.
• Serve as the Site Quality Pillar Leader within the Mars Supply Excellence (MSE) / TPM framework, driving standard methodologies, quality loss analysis, and integrating Q&FS protocols directly into shop-floor operating systems (FMOS).
• Act as the primary, official point of contact and "Quality Responsible Person" for the site with local regulatory authorities, national food safety bodies, and legal inspectors.
• Oversee and maintain the site Food Defense and Food Vulnerability (VACCP/TACCP) risk assessment programs to safeguard raw materials and production lines against intentional contamination and adulteration.
• Manage and oversee the site Q&FS budget, including both operational (OPEX) and capital (CAPEX) expenditures, ensuring disciplined financial tracking, resource optimization, and cost-efficiency.
• Lead the development and execution of Q&FS projects including both operational (OPEX) and capital (CAPEX) expenditures.
• Drive the management and closure of on-site Q&FS incidents as the designated site Incident (PRIMP) Owner.
• Ensure compliance with regional and global targets for Q&FS standards.
• Oversee Hold/Release and Traceability management for all site products.
• Support the flawless execution of all technical changes on-site that potentially impact Key Quality Attributes (KQAs), food safety, or product legal parameters.
• Support the implementation of new products, recipes, and processes until self-sufficiency is achieved.
• Provide technical governance for both internal and external microbiological/analytical laboratories, managing external lab relationships.
• Direct and execute the Site Quality Continuous Improvement Plan.
• Represent R&D on-site as a permanent member of the Factory Management Team.
• Lead, organize, and prepare site Quality Management Reviews (e.g., SQM).
• Manage non-conformities for all products and raw materials ("primes"), including handling the technical aspects of consumer complaints.
• Own the change management process and the Quality Continuous Improvement program.
• Oversee the site-level approval of raw and packaging material vendors, plant line operations, warehouses, transportation systems, and other contractual business relationships.
• Assure all products produced on-site are processed and packed in accordance with specified requirements and agreed product designs.
• Manage non-conformance disposition for raw materials, primes, and finished products, collaborating with the Regional Q&FS Director to determine final product disposition.
• Recommend and oversee the implementation of corrective actions (CAPAs) and continuous site-level improvements.
• Drive talent development, capability building across the site Q&FS team; lead the implementation of annual Personal Development Plans (PDPs) to establish clear functional and leadership objectives, identify technical capability gaps, and foster continuous growth.

Lead the development and succession planning of the Q&FS team, serving as the administrative and functional leader on-site.

Education and Professional Experiance:

• Education: Graduate or Post Graduate Degree in (Food science, Food technology, or Science).
• Solid understanding of Quality, Food Safety Standards, Food processing and manufacturing knowledge.
• The Individual must have at least 10 years Q&FS experience in a manufacturing environment in a FMCG factory
• Experienced at deployment and governance of quality management systems and management reviews
• Skilled on using tolls of root cause analysis, preferably competent with methodologies for improving reliability such as 5 Whys, FRCA and ca FMEA. Strong facilitation skills.
• Self-starter with demonstrated efficient work methods, analytical & problem-solving skills and ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Strong People leadership skills
• Able to perform under pressure and tenacity.

Excellent communication skills: interpersonal, consulting, presentation, writing, and meeting facilitation