Quality Assurance Technologist (QAT) - Bread Category (Spartan) at RCL Foods

Job Description    
At RCL Foods, we believe in growing what matters. As a leading food manufacturer, our mission is to nourish people with a diverse portfolio of trusted brands and products. We prioritize innovation, sustainability, and the development of our employees.

Our Speciality Division is seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Quality Assurance Technologist (QAT) to join our Quality Division in Spartan. The QAT will play a crucial role in maintaining the highest standards of product quality and safety, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements and internal standards.

Minimum Requirements    

• A minimum of 2 years food processing (FMCG) experience
• 3-year Diploma / Degree in Food Technology/ Biotechnology/ Environmental health or any other Food science related qualification
• FSSC 22000 Implementation Certificate
• FSSC 22000 Lead Auditor Certificate or Food safety internal Audit certificate 

Duties & Responsibilities

Managing of QA Staff

• Complete Bestime of staff on a daily basis
• Developing staff
• Evaluating staff (4 + 1)
• Managing staff training
• Managing staff discipline
• Regular staff meeting on issues and progress

Calibration of Food Safety Equipment

• Verify that food safety equipment like pH meter, thermometer, scales, etc. calibration status is current and up-to-date

Verification of Food Safety Equipment

• Verify that food safety equipment is verified as per schedule (scales daily, thermometers weekly, etc.)

Micro

• Ensure micro schedule is adhered to
• Ensure NCRs are raised for out of spec results
• Ensure water chemical analysis as per SANS 241 is yearly conducted
• Conduct Allergen verification tests (FACTS) and claim verification tests. This is to verify that there was no cross contamination during production and that your controls in place is effective.

Customer Complaints

• Ensure customer complaints are logged on tracker
• Ensure customer complaints are investigated and addressed
• Provide feedback to WW
• Trending of Customer Complaints

Hygiene Inspections

• Conducting cleaning verification inspections prior to start-up (rotation schedule)

Traceability Inspections

• Conducting traceability inspections prior to start-up and during production on RM, WIP, packaging material, final products, etc.

Internal Audits

• Ensure internal audits are done as per internal schedule
• Assisting with monthly Internal Audits
• GMP Internal Audit
• Foreign Object Internal Audit
• Glass & Hard Plastic Internal Audit
• Facility Internal Audit
• PRP Audits (QAT)
• Assisting with compiling internal audit reports, raise NCRs and distributing to relevant role players
• Drive the close out of internal NCRs
• Bi-Annual
• Brand Integrity Audits
• CCP & OPRP Audits
• Yearly Internal Audits
• Make the necessary arrangements with QFS Coordinator for yearly internal FSSC 22 000 Compliance audit

External audits

• Presenting and managing external audits
• Compiling and driving action plan on external audit NCRs
• Ensure that external audit NCRs are addressed and closed out
• Also close it out on the FPI system
• Ensure NCRs are logged on CAR system and closed out

Updating of System

• Ensure all system documentation is reviewed and updated as per document control procedure and frequency (with the SHERQ Team)
• Ensure amended and/or new documentation is approved, published and distributed to relevant role players
• Ensure new docs is update on the “Master List of Documents” by SHEQ department
• Ensure SHEQ department update “Change Register”
• The following programmes must be reviewed on a yearly basis in conjunction with the Food Safety Team & SHEQ Department:
• HACCP
• TACCP + Risk Assessment
• VACCP + Risk Assessment
• Brand Integrity Risk Assessment
• Allergen Program

Validation Studies

• Assist with validation of PRP and CCP’s if there were any changes with the SHEQ Department (Current validation studies is valid until there is a change in process, layout, equipment, etc.)

Staff Medical Examinations

• Verify that your staff’s yearly medicals are up-to-date and valid

Staff Training

• Ensure and verify that the following training is yearly conducted
• Induction Training
• PRP Training
• OPRP Training
• CCP Training
• HACCP Training
• TACCP & VACCP Training
• Corrective Action Training
• Micro Training
• SEDEX/Smeta Training (NEW)
• Rainforest Alliance Training
• Halaal Training
• SHEQX Sytems Training

Food Safety Management Review Meeting

• Contribute to the yearly Food Safety Management Review Meeting

Food Safety Meetings

• Contribute to the monthly food safety meetings as per the set agenda and template

Product and Process Control

• Daily monitoring of product and process parameters
• Daily inspection of factory

NPD

• Assist with trials
• Completing feedback forms for WW
• Ensure shelf life verification is done
• Ensure frozen trials are done
• Ensure product “production records” are compiled, published and distributed
• Assisting NPD with quality contracts
• Ensure FPI specs are compiled and uploaded on FPI
• Ensure FPI specs are maintained after it was handover from the NPD team.

Reporting

• Internal Weekly Reports (Example: Quality Report, Quality Dashboard)
• External Weekly Reports – Customer
• Assisting with monthly reports, scorecards, governance reports, etc.
• Assisting with Quarterly Business Review Meeting Info

Meetings:

• Raise concerns and/or provide feedback on QFS progress at daily Ops meetings (if Senior QAT is not available).
• Schedule meetings with management and HOD’s on QFS progress.