QA Supervisor

About the Opportunity
Are you passionate about quality and ready to take the next step in your career within the fresh produce industry?
This is a Maidstone based position that also requires you to visit fields during UK production season. You will build close working relationships with colleagues across Quality, Technical, Procurement, Sales, Operations, Production and Allocations, as well as with our growers and other external stakeholders.
In this role, you will combine the daily supervision and development of our QA team with practical quality assurance activities. You will help ensure that our quality standards are consistently applied throughout the supply chain, from grower and harvest through intake and packing to the final customer.

Responsibilities
As our QA Supervisor, you will support the day-to-day management of the QA team and help ensure appropriate QA coverage across operational areas and working hours.
Your main responsibilities will include:
Supervising, supporting and training members of the QA team
Helping coordinate staffing levels, annual leave and other absences
Ensuring compliance with customer specifications, quality standards and standard operating procedures
Monitoring quality at grower, harvest, intake and operational stages
Identifying and communicating non-conformances to Technical, Procurement, Sales and Operations
Working closely with production management to ensure packing procedures are followed correctly
Collaborating with allocation and production teams to ensure the correct pallets and quality standards are allocated to customers
Providing clear and timely feedback to growers, Procurement and Sales regarding fruit arrivals and quality performance
Managing fruit quality and labelling issues and ensuring these are documented correctly
Reviewing quality data, identifying trends and supporting corrective actions
Supporting and covering for the QA Manager when required
Contributing to continuous improvement across quality and operational processes
You will also play an important role in protecting food safety, legality, authenticity, product quality and the integrity of the Driscoll’s brand. This includes maintaining high standards relating to health and safety, hygiene, security and the environment

Candidate Profile
You will also play an important role in protecting food safety, legality, authenticity, product quality and the integrity of the Driscoll’s brand. This includes maintaining high standards relating to health and safety, hygiene, security and the environment.
What you bring
We are looking for someone who combines strong quality knowledge with a practical and collaborative approach.
You will ideally bring:
Extensive experience in a comparable quality assurance role
Previous experience within soft fruit, fresh produce or a similar fast-paced food environment
The ability to supervise, train and motivate a QA team
Strong communication skills and confidence working with colleagues across different departments
The ability to recognise quality risks and translate them into pragmatic solutions
A well-organised approach and the ability to manage several priorities at the same time
Strong attention to detail and the confidence to address quality concerns when needed
Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel
Experience within the soft fruit industry would be particularly valuable for this position.
How you will work
This is a field-based UK position that also requires you to work regularly from our Maidstone operations. You will build close working relationships with colleagues across Quality, Technical, Procurement, Sales, Operations, Production and Allocations, as well as with our growers and other external stakeholders.
You will report to the QA Operations Manager.