Quality Team Lead – Food Safety & Quality Management

About the role

The Quality Team Leader will head the site Quality team, embedding a strong culture of food safety, quality and compliance. Reporting to the Technical Manager, you will assure site leadership and external auditors that quality control and food safety programmes are effective, robust and audit‑ready.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Quality Assessors, building capability and best practice.
• Manage and implement site quality systems, audits, documentation and corrective actions.
• Act as the primary contact for audits, including AsureQuality grading audits.
• Provide risk‑based quality and food safety leadership across the site.
• Ensure regulatory, OMAR, customer and company requirements are met.
• Deliver meaningful quality reporting and insights to site leadership.
• Collaborate with Operations, Technical and Support teams to drive continuous improvement.
• Balance production demands while maintaining uncompromising food safety and quality standards.

Required profile

• Confident leader with a strong quality background.
• Proven experience in Quality Assurance, Food Safety or a related technical field.
• Demonstrated people‑leadership capability, including coaching and mentoring.
• Strong understanding of quality systems, audits and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail with sound judgement and commercial awareness.
• Qualification in a science‑related discipline or equivalent experience.
• Experience in the red meat or food manufacturing sector (preferred).

Required skills

• AsureQuality audit system.

What we offer

• A supportive, values‑driven team environment.
• A leadership role with real influence and visibility.
• Opportunities for career progression and professional development.
• Discounted staff meat sales to help feed your whānau.