Quality Assurance Officer

Title: Quality Assurance Officer
Reports to: Technical Team Leader
Location: Chessington, Surrey KT9 1TW
Salary: Up to £30,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Shift pattern: 4 on 4 off day shift
Hours: 7:00am – 19:00pm
The QA role ensures all products are safe, legal, and meet quality standards by monitoring compliance, conducting audits, supporting investigations, and working with site teams to maintain high food safety standards.
Role & Responsibilities
Quality & Compliance

Investigate serious customer complaints as part of a multifunctional team and communicate findings to Q3.
Support both internal and external audits, representing the Technical function.
Participate in customer visits and audits as required.
Verify and measure delivery of technical and food safety standards across the site, ensuring compliance with customer and NESI requirements.
Address non-conforming product or activities promptly to protect both NESI and customer brands.

Auditing & GMP

Conduct CCP audits against the defined schedule, ensuring non-conformances are identified, escalated, and closed using Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
Carry out GMP audits and support preparation for GMP walks and customer visits.
Challenge factory standards and promote continuous improvement.
Conduct raw material audits to verify correct use and handling, generating detailed reports and highlighting issues.
Complete hygiene inspections including in-process and post-cleaning swabs across day and night shifts.
Review and sign off hygiene documentation, ensuring standards are met.

Incoming Goods & Production Checks

Conduct intake checks on all incoming raw materials to ensure:

Approved supplier status
Compliance with specifications

Perform line start-up checks and escalate any issues to Operations and Technical Management.
Conduct rejected product analysis, including metal detector checks.
Collect taste panel samples as required.

Testing, Monitoring & Calibration

Maintain calibration risk assessments and carry out daily, monthly, and annual calibration checks.
Deliver environmental, product microbiological, and chemical monitoring programmes.
Ensure samples and swabs are taken as per schedule.
Support investigations into out-of-specification (OOS) results.
Sample collection (including taste panels and environmental swabs)

Training & Development

Train production operatives on:

Correct handling of raw materials (with support from subject matter experts where required)
CCP and OPRP requirements

Deliver training following process updates and procedural changes.

Documentation & Systems

Generate and maintain product life matrix sheets, ensuring timely communication to relevant teams.
Maintain the Approved Supplier Matrix and attend monthly review meetings with Supply Chain.
Support QAS reviews and updates led by QA.
Participate in NPD trials and pre-production activities.

Collaboration & Influence

Work closely with Operations, Engineering, and Technical teams to drive standards and improvements.
Influence cross-functional teams without direct line management responsibility.
Support site readiness for audits and customer visits
Continuous monitoring of compliance standards and reporting

What experiences, knowledge and capabilities do I need to demonstrate?

Experience within a FMCG environment
Working knowledge of technical management systems
Ability to influence
Sound organizational skills
Ability to work cross functionally over the organization
Ability to analyze data and support in the formulation of action plans
Ability to drive increased technical compliance through a coaching and development style

Benefits

20 days holiday, increasing by 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 25 days
Pension: 5% employee / 3% employer contribution
Life insurance (3x annual salary)
Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
Discount and benefits platform
Cycle to Work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
Sports & Social fund
Staff sales