QA Manager

Job Title

QA Manager / Quality Assurance Manager

Lincoln

Competitive (Dependent on experience)

Full-time, Permanent

40 hours per week (Monday to Friday)

Are you an experienced Quality Assurance professional with strong leadership skills looking for a rewarding Monday-to-Friday role? We are a leading, sustainability-focused manufacturing business seeking a dedicated QA Manager to take the quality lead. In this crucial role, you will collaborate closely with operational leaders to champion the safety, authenticity, and quality of our products. You will ensure our site operations consistently meet and exceed business standards, customer codes of practice, and recognized industry regulations.

If you are a proactive problem solver with a background in manufacturing compliance and a passion for driving a positive food safety and quality culture, we want to hear from you.

• Quality Leadership: Provide direction to the site quality team to maintain alignment with business strategies, driving action plans, and analyzing trend data.
• HACCP & Food Safety Culture: Act as a key member/leader of the site HACCP team to develop, validate, and verify food safety plans. Actively promote our safety and quality culture strategy across the business.
• Audit & Compliance Management: Schedule, manage, and support the site through external and regulatory audits (including Group, Customer, APHA, and BRCGS standards).
• Pest Control Oversight: Lead the site‑specific pest control program, managing third‑party contractors and resolving identified issues.
• Investigations & Non‑Conformance: Collaborate with cross‑site teams to manage non‑conformance, hold/release, and concession systems, implementing root‑cause analysis to mitigate future risks.
• Validation & Testing: Standardize and manage internal auditing systems (GMP, fabrication, traceability, glass/plastics) alongside process control validations and analytical sampling plans.
• NPD Support: Assist with New Product Development during feasibility, production trials, and sampling phases.
• Team Deputisation: Periodically travel between local manufacturing sites (approx. 13 miles apart) and confidently step up to deputise for the Technical Manager when required.

Essential:

• Qualifications: Level 3 Food Safety and Level 3 HACCP certifications.
• Industry
  
  Experience:
  
  Proven experience working in a dedicated quality control/assurance role within a manufacturing environment (ideally food or animal product related).
• Leadership Profile: Previous management experience with a track record of successfully leading, mentoring, and developing a team.
• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interpret data and present key metrics.
• Tech Savvy: Proficient with the Microsoft Office suite.
• Mobility: Holds a valid driving licence and is willing to periodically travel between local manufacturing sites (c. 13 miles).

Desirable:

• An undergraduate degree in a scientific discipline.
• Experience specifically dealing with the manufacture and documentation required for exporting animal or food products.

We pride ourselves on working ethically and sustainably. In this role, you will be expected to actively champion our corporate framework for environmental efficiency, workplace inclusivity, and safety leadership. We protect workers' rights, treat everyone with dignity, and foster an environment of continuous learning and accountability.

• Stable Monday to Friday shift pattern (40 hours per week).
• A supportive management team committed to your career development.
• The chance to influence and shape the safety culture of a major regional site.

S16

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of all our candidates and clients. If you choose to apply, your information will be processed in accordance with the Nicholas Associates Group of companies Privacy Notice.