How do you get a good quality manager in food?

This question is causing headaches for many companies in the food industry. Finding the ideal quality manager food does not come naturally, but with a good personnel policy you can make the process easier. How do you respond to the challenge of attracting a good quality food manager?

Define the role of the food quality manager within your organization

Before you actively search, it is important to get a good idea of the role the quality department plays within the organization. Is the food quality manager more of a controller or an ambassador of quality? Does he/she look in retrospect to see if everything was done correctly, or does he/she focus on the future by developing policies and continuously improving processes? Quality thinking must be embedded in the management and culture of your organization; the more so, the higher the demands placed on the quality manager food.

The job of food quality manager is more versatile than ever

Due to developments in the food industry, changing laws and regulations, the emergence of quality marks and audits, the position of quality manager has expanded greatly. The quality manager food focuses not only on QA (Quality Assurance) and QC (Quality Control), but also on sustainability, both in the process and in the chain. Certifications require more than just registration and control; for example, the quality manager food must also deal with supplier relations, customer relations, training policy, food safety culture, environment, sustainability, fraud and integrity.

Knowledge of food technology is no longer sufficient

In addition to product knowledge, the role of quality manager food requires extensive knowledge of laws and regulations, administrative accuracy and skills in implementing, maintaining and monitoring quality systems. Moreover, if the quality manager food is also an ambassador of quality, he or she must be able to develop policies, lead projects and manage teams with a focus on quality and improvement. The right quality manager food has excellent communication and social skills to communicate this vision both internally and externally.

Looking for candidates is like looking for a needle in a haystack

Finding a capable and experienced food quality manager is challenging, especially since young candidates with graduate degrees in food technology are scarce. Often these candidates lack the necessary experience to fully fill the position. Also, lateral entrants from other roles within the organization often lack the substantive knowledge and skills required for the position of quality manager food. For these candidates, Précon offers a complete one-year training program that teaches both knowledge and skills. Candidates can start the training at any time.

Interim staff for quality management

Need temporary support until the ideal candidate is found? Précon offers experienced food consultants who can start working in your company immediately. Whether for specific jobs, quality improvement or temporary replacements, our food consultants bring the right expertise to support your organization in the field of quality management. Our interim food consultants can respond quickly to the needs of your organization, without you having to search for a permanent employee for a long time.

Want to know more about food consulting?

Contact us to discuss how our interim staff can temporarily support your organization with quality management. Call +31 (0)30 - 65 66 010 or send an e-mail to info@precongroup.com.