Quality Lead GA at Kerry

Kerry

  • Kenya
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 1 month ago
Kerry is a company rich in heritage and resources. Over the past five decades, our focus on changing lifestyles, the globalisation of food tastes and ever-evolving consumer needs has brought us to a market-leading global position. At Kerry, we are proud to provide our customers’ some of the world’s best-known food, beverage and pharma brands with the expertise, insights and know-how they need to deliver products that people enjoy and feel better about consuming.Quality Lead GA
  • To lead and develop the food safety and quality function across multiple manufacturing sites and third-party manufacturing (TPM) partners in Africa. The role ensures robust implementation of food safety systems, fosters a strong quality culture, and guarantees the delivery of safe, high-quality food ingredients to customers. This is a customer-facing role requiring strong collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
Key responsibilities
  • Leadership & Strategy
  • Lead and mentor site and TPM Quality and Food Safety teams across the region.
  • Train and develop competencies for the current team members in the quality function across GA and the TPMs
  • Develop and execute the regional quality strategy aligned with global standards and local regulatory requirements.
  • Champion a proactive quality culture through training, engagement, and leadership.
  • Food Safety & Compliance
  • Ensure implementation and maintenance of food safety systems (e.g., HACCP, FSSC 22000, BRC) across all company-owned and TPM sites.
  • Monitor compliance with internal standards, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
  • Lead internal, supplier, and third-party audits, ensuring timely closure of non-conformities and continuous improvement.
  • Third-Party Manufacturing (TPM) Management
  • Qualify, audit, and monitor TPM partners to ensure adherence to company quality and food safety standards.
  • Establish and maintain quality agreements with TPMs, including KPIs and escalation protocols.
  • Collaborate with Procurement, Supply Chain, and Operations to manage quality risks and drive continuous improvement at TPM sites.
  • Provide technical support and training to TPMs to build capability and ensure consistent product quality.
  • Operational Excellence
  • Integrate quality systems with TPM and internal site TPM initiatives to drive continuous improvement.
  • Analyze quality KPIs and trends to identify risks and opportunities.
  • Collaborate with operations to reduce quality-related losses and improve product consistency.
  • Customer Engagement
  • Act as the regional quality representative in customer interactions, audits, and complaint resolution.
  • Translate customer feedback into actionable improvements at both internal and TPM sites.
  • Support new product development and commercialization from a quality perspective.
Qualifications and skills
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field.
  • Minimum 8-10 years of experience in food quality and safety, with at least 3 years in a regional or multi-site leadership role.
  • Experience in a multinational food or ingredients company is highly desirable.
  • Demonstrated experience managing third-party manufacturing quality systems.
  • Certification in food safety systems (e.g., FSSC 22000) and auditing (e.g., Lead Auditor certification) is a strong advantage.
  • Familiarity with SPC methodologies, Lean, or Six Sigma methodologies.
  • Technical Expertise
  • Strong knowledge of food safety systems and regulatory frameworks (e.g., FSSC 22000, BRC).
  • Expertise in hygiene and sanitation, including cleaning validation, environmental monitoring, and allergen control.
  • Solid foundation in microbiology, including pathogen control, indicator organisms, and lab result interpretation.
  • Proficiency in risk assessment methodologies (e.g., HACCP, TACCP, VACCP, FMEA).
  • Demonstrated experience in auditing (internal, supplier, and third-party), including audit planning, execution, reporting, and CAPA management.
  • Experience managing third-party manufacturing quality systems and supplier quality assurance.
  • Leadership & Influence
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional and multicultural teams.
  • Strong coaching, mentoring, and change management skills.
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Data-driven decision-making with strong problem-solving capabilities.
  • Experience with root cause analysis tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA).
  • Communication & Collaboration
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Ability to build trust with internal teams, TPM partners, and customers.
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