QA Manager

We're looking for a QA Manager to champion food safety, quality, and compliance across our Clitheroe site. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a high-performing QA team, influence factory standards, and play a key role in delivering products our customers can trust.

You'll be a visible leader on the factory floor, working alongside Production, Engineering, Hygiene and Supply Chain teams to drive continuous improvement and ensure every product leaves site meeting the highest standards.

If you're passionate about developing people, solving problems and making a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Job Title: QA Manager –
Chilled Food Manufacturing

Location:
The Compleat Food Group, Lincoln Way, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 1QD

Working Hours: 05:30 – 18:00, Fortnightly rotating shift pattern – Week 1:
Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday;
Week 2:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Pay:
Between £45,000 and £50,000 per annum

At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to be a food business built on purpose and passion. Formed in 2021, we’re on a mission to create food to feel good – great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat.

We’re home to some of the UK’s most exciting and loved food brands, including Walls Pastry, Pork Farms, Wrights, The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co., unearthed, Vadasz, Squeaky Bean, Palace Culture, and Harvey & Brockless. Alongside our branded portfolio, we’re a leading supplier of delicious own‑label pastry, sweet bakery, party food, olives and antipasti, added‑value egg products, continental meats, dips and sauces and plant‑based food to the UK’s major retailers, as well as across food service.

With over 6,000 talented colleagues across 18 sites, and an annual turnover of £1.3bn, we’re united by a shared ambition to shape the future of food for the better.

As our QA Manager, you'll lead the Quality Assurance function, ensuring products are manufactured safely, legally and to the highest quality standards.

• Lead, coach and develop the QA team to deliver outstanding performance
• Set objectives, conduct performance reviews and identify development opportunities
• Build a positive food safety and quality culture across all departments
• Support recruitment, onboarding and succession planning
• Recognise great performance while confidently managing performance improvement where needed
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMP, BRCGS Food Safety Standard and retailer requirements
• Maintain and continually improve the site’s Quality Management System
• Manage allergen controls, traceability, environmental monitoring and product release
• Review and approve corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs)
• Ensure quality documentation and records remain accurate and audit ready
• Escalate any food safety or legal compliance risks promptly
• Lead shift preparations for customer, regulatory and third‑party audits
• Support customer visits and external inspections
• Coordinate corrective actions following audits
• Manage pest control actions and environmental monitoring programmes
• Monitor microbiological results and respond appropriately to non‑conformances
• Oversee product assessment and release
• Investigate customer complaints, product holds and food safety incidents
• Drive robust root cause analysis and preventative actions
• Monitor quality trends and ensure products consistently meet customer and legal specifications
• Support new product launches and share best practice across shifts
• Analyse quality data and KPIs to identify improvement opportunities
• Reduce waste, defects, complaints and non‑conformances
• Drive process improvements across the manufacturing operation
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Deliver effective shift handovers and technical communication
• Support production teams through coaching and training
• Promote excellent hygiene, GMP and food safety standards throughout the factory

• Level 3 Food Safety
• Previous experience within a food manufacturing or high‑care environment
• Strong knowledge of BRCGS Food Safety Standards and UK retailer requirements
• Experience with allergen management, environmental monitoring and quality systems
• Experience leading or supervising Quality teams
• Excellent understanding of food safety, quality systems and GMP
• Knowledge of microbiology, allergen management and weight control
• Strong coaching and leadership skills
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving ability