Senior Food Safety & Quality Manager

Location: Craigavon Factory
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (On-site)

Purpose of the Role

Take full responsibility for all technical aspects of the designated factory, ensuring that the site and its operations consistently meet food safety, quality, customer, and legal requirements. Drive best practice standards and support the Technical Manager in meeting day-to-day technical needs, collaborating with technical and operations teams to exceed customer expectations.

Key Responsibilities & Measures of Success

• Implement, maintain, and continuously improve a HACCP-based quality system to achieve required approvals (e.g., BRC and customer standards) and ensure food safety, quality, and legality.
• Lead and motivate the Food Safety & Quality culture across the site, driving continuous improvement in product, process, and hygiene standards.
• Conduct factory audits to assess compliance and support site management in improving technical standards.
• Manage succession planning for the technical team, including recruitment, training, performance monitoring, and development.
• Prioritize workload effectively while fostering ownership, responsibility, and team unity.
• Report technical performance internally and externally, ensuring transparency and proactive improvement.
• Provide technical guidance and training to other departments to build awareness and capability.
• Liaise with customers and statutory bodies during audits and visits, ensuring compliance and implementing corrective actions.
• Ensure new equipment and fabrication enhance technical performance.
• Analyze microbiological, chemical, and allergen data to identify trends and implement corrective/preventative measures.
• Manage serious incidents, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Investigate and implement new technologies to improve technical standards.
• Collaborate with central functions to maintain and develop Food Safety & Quality systems.
• Drive customer complaint reduction plans and streamline reporting, traceability, and monitoring systems.
• Deputize for the Site Technical Manager and other Senior Food Safety & Quality Managers as required.
• Ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety responsibilities as per company standards.
• Perform any other duties necessary to fulfill the role.

Key Deliverables

• Achieve BRC Grade AA+ and maintain green status for customer standards.
• Meet site technical KPIs (e.g., product micro, environmental micro, quality index scores).
• Deliver robust complaint reduction plans and achieve customer targets.
• Maintain green internal audit performance and customer scorecards.
• Implement competency frameworks for all team members.

Essential Skills & Knowledge

• Degree-level qualification in a relevant discipline (or equivalent).
• Proven experience in quality management within the food industry.
• Experience working with major multiples.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and organizational skills.
• Self-motivated, assertive, and well-organized with excellent problem-solving abilities.
• In-depth knowledge of BRC standards, HACCP, food legislation, and hygiene.
• Ability to influence and drive continuous improvement in a cross-functional environment.

The company

Pilgrim’s Europe produces some of the best-known and most iconic brands in the UK and Ireland, including Fridge Raiders, Rollover, Denny, Richmond, Oakhouse and Moy Park, alongside a diverse range of industry leading own-label products in categories including fresh pork, lamb and chicken, working with all the major retailers and food service outlets.

Our portfolio extends to authentic chilled and frozen ready meals, snacking ranges, added value and food service products.

Across Pilgrim’s Europe we combine 20,000 of the best people in the industry, united by a shared set of core values and a passion for producing the highest quality, most delicious and innovative food, which is enjoyed by millions of people in the UK, Ireland and Europe every day. Our Pilgrim’s Europe team are based in our Pilgrim’s UK, Moy Park, Pilgrim’s Food Masters and Pilgrim’s Shared Services businesses.

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