Quality Assurance Manager

Our client is a leading dairy cooperative committed to producing nutritious products that support better health worldwide. They prioritize maintaining the highest standards of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance, from farm to consumer. The organization values operational excellence and continuous improvement to meet both internal standards and external industry regulations.

We are seeking a dedicated Food Quality Assurance Manager to oversee all quality assurance and quality control activities at their production site in Meppel. This leadership role is essential in safeguarding food safety, ensuring product quality, and maintaining compliance while fostering a high-performing QA/QC team.

• Lead, develop, and coach the QA/QC team of approximately 30 professionals, creating a motivated and efficient work environment.
• Promote a strong culture of food safety and quality across the site.
• Continuously improve QA processes, standards, and systems to meet evolving requirements.
• Ensure full compliance with internal policies, industry standards, and external regulations through active management and audit preparation.
• Oversee internal and external audits, ensuring all standards are met.
• Measure, report, and analyze quality KPIs to support operational decision-making.
• Manage quality incidents, including crisis management and root cause analysis.
• Identify food safety and quality risks proactively and implement effective mitigation measures.
• Collaborate closely with operations, engineering, supply chain, and external quality teams.
• Represent QA in the Plant Leadership Team to align quality initiatives with overall site goals.

• Master’s degree in Food Science or a related field (Bachelor's degree may be considered depending on experience).
• At least 8 years of experience in food manufacturing, specifically within Quality and Food Safety.
• Strong knowledge of dairy processing and food quality standards.
• Experience with Quality Management Systems (such as Foqus or equivalent).
• Proven leadership and coaching skills managing large teams.
• Excellent analytical and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to operate effectively within a complex, matrix organization.
• Change management experience is a plus.
• Fluency in English and Dutch.