Tupande Senior Quality Assurance Supervisor (Fixed-term)

About the Role

• We are seeking a Senior Quality Assurance Supervisor with a minimum of 2 years experience who will support the daily compliance and quality assurance processes of the macadamia factory from receipt through processing to dispatch of products ensuring compliance to customer, internal, legal and statutory requirements

Responsibilities

Materials Management (Raw & Processing Aids)

• Raw Material Intake: Oversee the Raw Material receiving checks. Verify the quality of incoming raw nuts (Good quality, SKR, Moisture content)
• Packaging Inventory: Manage the quality of packaging materials and other processing aids before acceptance to the processing factory

Product Integrity & Quality Assurance

• Finished Product Compliance: Oversee the grading and classification of macadamia kernels to ensure they meet international standards and customer specifications regarding size, color, and quality defect limits.
• In Process Quality Control: Manage the hourly sampling regime at key stages (Cracking, Sorting, Drying). Ensure operators are correctly identifying critical defects such as immature nuts, insect damage, and mold.
• Sensory Analysis: Enforce organoleptic testing protocols to detect early signs of rancidity (oxidative stability) or off-flavors caused by improper drying or storage.
• Hold & Release: Authority to place On Hold any batch of nuts that fails moisture specs or shows signs of contamination, preventing it from reaching the packing line.
• Verify monitoring records for defined Critical Control Points (e.g., drying temperatures for Salmonella control, metal detection for physical hazards).
• Conduct independent verification checks on CCP records to ensure accuracy and prevent record falsification
• Monitor Operational Prerequisite Programs (OPRPs) such as allergen controls (if applicable), sieving, or sorting performance.
• Immediately escalate deviations from critical limits and ensure corrective actions are implemented and documented.

Management of Team Performance (Quality of Inspectors)

Monitoring the Monitors, You are responsible for the accuracy of your team.

• QA Inspectors: Support in the incoming material checks, in process line checks, sorting/operators team quality of work against standards and final packing inspectors quality of work
• Sanitation Inspectors: Inspect the cleaners work after they finish but before production starts. Provide immediate feedback if residue is found.
• Training & Competency: Maintain training matrices for both teams. Ensure sanitation staff understand Hygiene, sanitation and chemical safety and QA staff understand sampling validity, process checks and customer requirements
• Resource Allocation: Manage shift rotas to ensure coverage during peak seasons, ensuring no production line runs without QA presence and no cleanup happens without supervision.

Final Product Confirmation & Release Support

• Review laboratory results, moisture confirmations, grading reports, and packaging compliance before recommending product release
• Verify finished products meet internal specifications, export standards, and customer-specific requirements
• Ensure finished products are not dispatched without documented quality confirmation
• Maintain records of product approvals and quality release confirmations

Prerequisite Programs (PRP) Inspection & Reporting

• Conduct routine PRP inspections covering sanitation effectiveness, pest control trends, glass & hard plastic control, environmental monitoring, hygiene compliance, and waste management
• Review pest control service reports and escalate adverse trends
• Support zoning enforcement between Low Risk and High Care areas to prevent cross-contamination
• Document inspection findings and report gaps for corrective action

Qualifications

Technical skills:

• Minimum academic Qualification: A minimum of a diploma or degree in food science or food technology
• Knowledge of food quality standards: Must have either ISO 22000 experience, HACCP, FSSC 20000, BRCGS,
• Attention to detail: Able to identify issues on time for their escalation and problem resolution
• People Management: Experience in managing a team
• Attention to detail: Ensures all your tasks are completed to the business’ specifications.
• Problem-solving: Identify solutions to problems encountered
• Written and verbal communication: Able to communicate in word and written form of communication
• Ability to work as part of a team: Play role of a team member to assist the team to accomplish common goal
• Time management: Manage activities for your deliverables
• Experience in Macadamia processing preferred