Key outputs and responsibilities:

Quality Management:

• Partake in the development of required quality systems for the Maltings Plant, contributing suggestions and providing expert advice.
• Ensure the functional and data integrity of the various quality systems, and identify and resolve problem.
• Ensure that quality goals are incorporated into laboratory team and managed through visual boards Daily, Weekly and Monthly Boards & Individual Goals.
• Audit compliance to the various quality systems in the laboratory and production.
• Maintain equipment performance report (ERI).
• Compliance to VPO Quality Pillar and other applicable VPO requirements.
• Execute VPO activities in accordance with the VPO work practices.
• Execution of activities to ensure compliance to food safety and quality management systems.

Quality Control and Analyses:

• Checking and verifying that team members are carrying out quality checks and analyses and recording the information on the appropriate systems.
• Verifies that the quality systems are working properly, and that data integrity and information accuracy is being maintained.
• Responsible for ensuring that laboratory equipment is operating optimally and to identify problems or opportunities timeously.
• Ensure that Zone changes to analytical standards are implemented, through additional training where necessary.
• Interacts with Zone through various MDT as required, ensuring that regional complexities and requirements are properly understood.

Team Leadership:

• Lead the laboratory team in a manner that promotes ownership, empowerment and team interaction.
• Ensuring that the laboratory team understands and adheres to the operational, quality and process standards, work instructions and calibration schedules and  performance target.
• Mentoring, supporting and coaching team members in the correct execution of their tasks.
• Where training needs  have been identified, corrective action must be initiated.
• Exercise budgetary controls over the laboratory

Safety and Housekeeping:

• Ensure that safety and housekeeping receive appropriate focus through regular checks and safety audits. Where unsafe work practices have been identified, the  QC manager is responsible for correcting this
• Adherence to PPE policy
• Unsafe conditions and work practices are identified and actioned
• Chemicals and reagents are handled as per manualized procedure
• Hazardous substances are stored, handled and disposed of as per procedures
• Adherence to documented lab safety rules, guides and practices
• Incidents are reported and actioned as per procedure.
• House keeping schedules are adhered to.

Minimum Requirements:

• BSc degree (Microbiology or Biochemistry)/ (Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry) or  equivalent
• 3-5 years laboratory experience 
• Well developed knowledge of Maltings Process.
• Management Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling  Numeracy (budgets, statistical analysis)
• Proven team leadership skills
• Highly assertive
• Outstanding interpersonal and facilitation skills.
• Analytical problem solver and demonstrated ability at implementing effective problem solving
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Good understanding of Standard Work Practices and other VPO methodologies