QA Manager

Most QA Manager adverts start with “Are you passionate about quality?”
This one doesn’t.

Because if you’re not, you wouldn’t have read past the job title.

Here’s what you actually want to know:

• Money: £43,500 + 10% bonus + 10% pension. Could be nudged to £45k if you’ve got the right background.
• Progression: Part of a large group and they like moving talent across sites, so this isn’t a career cul-de-sac. The Head of Technical here has also said out loud that she won’t be in post forever. Translation: this could be your succession plan.
• Stability: Very low turnover site. People stay because it’s a good place to work.

The job itself?

You’ll run the QA team – TLs, raw mats, techs on rotating shifts, cover teams, the lot. You’ll take them from “pretty good” to world class.

That means building capability, raising standards, making KPIs mean something, and being factory-facing. Not hiding in an office with a clipboard.

You’ll deal with customer complaints, audits, and visits. Some customers are lovely. Some aren’t. You’ll need the kind of people skills that make both groups believe you’ve got things under control.

It’s quick-paced and busy enough to keep you on your toes.

What they want from you

• You’ve managed a QA function in FMCG (or something close).
• You can influence people – operators, managers, customers.
• You can spot problems, fix them, and get others on board with the fix.
• You’re ambitious. You’ve got energy. You want to be more than just “the safe pair of hands.”

HACCP Level 3 or 4, food safety, degree – all nice to have. But if you’ve got the right drive, they’ll train you to Level 4.

Why you might apply

Because this is a “now or never” opportunity. The outgoing QA Manager has been here years, leaves on good terms, and speaks highly of the business. Roles like this don’t come up often.

Apply. Worst case, you’ll find out if the talk of “world class” is real or just another strapline.