Head of QA & Food Safety

Our client is a plant-based food manufacturer based in Ayutthaya, seeking a hands-on Head of QA and Food Safety to lead quality assurance and food safety across their production site.
This role is responsible for building a Quality at the Source culture on the factory floor, upgrading site certifications from ISO 9001 to FSSC 22000 by May 2027, and enforcing strict RTE and frozen high-care hygiene standards. Reporting directly to the Plant Director, with direct escalation authority to the CEO on critical food safety breaches, this is a high-accountability leadership role with real operational authority.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and enforce daily in-line quality check routines for line operators, covering metal detector checks, process temperatures, net weight, coating pickup, and seal integrity
• Train operators on quality parameters and authorise them to stop machines and escalate to QA when out of specification
• Supervise daily work plans for QA technicians and assistants across the site
• Conduct pre-operational sanitation checks before daily start-up and oversee ATP hygiene swabbing on conveyors, fryers, and spiral freezer belts
• Perform unannounced shop-floor checks to verify operator log-sheet accuracy
• Lead the site project to upgrade quality systems from ISO 9001 to FSSC 22000 before May 2027
• Maintain BRCGS Food Safety and BRC Plant-Based standards and lead customer, Thai FDA, and third-party audit visits
• Write clear and accessible SOPs and HACCP plans tailored for local shop-floor workers
• Manage an active Environmental Monitoring Programme with zero tolerance for Listeria in high-care and freezing zones
• Coordinate sample collection and manage accredited external laboratories for microbiological and chemical testing
• Enforce gowning, footbath, and hygiene barriers between raw and high-care processing areas
• Inspect incoming raw ingredients and packaging films and verify vendor Certificates of Analysis
• Resolve supplier quality issues in coordination with the Purchasing team

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, or a related field
• 7 to 10 or more years of QA and QC experience in food manufacturing, with at least 2 to 3 years in a supervisory or management role directly leading QA staff
• Practical background in RTE foods, frozen foods, poultry or meat processing, or coated and fried foods; familiarity with IQF spiral freezers is a strong advantage
• Proven hands-on experience with BRCGS and FSSC 22000 or ISO 22000
• Experience converting ISO 9001 to FSSC 22000 is highly preferred
• Practical, assertive, and shop-floor focused leadership style; comfortable spending significant time on the floor coaching operators and managing QA technicians
• Good working English for audits, documentation, and management reporting; fluent Thai

Our client is a global provider of repair and manufacturing solutions for aerospace and industrial gas turbine components, with a manufacturing site in Pathum Thani.

They are looking for a Senior Buyer – Direct Material to own the technical and operational procurement of the materials used in aircraft component repair, including OEM/PMA parts, raw materials (alloys, titanium, stainless steel, lead, wire and cable), process gases such as argon for welding, chemicals and packaging. Reporting to the Senior Purchasing Manager, the role covers RFQ execution, cost negotiation, PO management, consignment inventory coordination and supplier performance tracking to keep production running without interruption.

This is an individual-contributor position with junior staff providing admin support. You will work closely with the engineering team every day and communicate regularly in English with the group's overseas sites and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Execute sourcing activities for OEM/PMA parts, raw materials (e.g. alloys, titanium, stainless steel, lead, wire, cable), process gases such as argon, and production components based on approved strategies
• Prepare RFQs, perform quotation comparisons, and negotiate pricing and terms within delegated authority
• Manage daily purchasing activities, including issuing POs, monitoring blanket orders, and processing spot/urgent orders
• Maintain consignment inventory flow: usage tracking, supplier replenishment and invoicing accuracy
• Track inventory levels, coverage and consumption patterns
• Execute cost negotiations and contribute to PPV (purchase price variance) performance as assigned
• Track supplier OTD, quality issues, NCRs and responsiveness
• Monitor delivery status of all direct materials and escalate potential delays
• Ensure all purchasing activities comply with procurement policy, approval matrix and audit requirements
• Work with Production, Engineering, Planning, Warehouse, Quality and Finance to support daily operations
• Coordinate with the group's overseas sites and international suppliers in English

Requirements;

• Bachelor's degree in any field; Engineering strongly preferred given daily work with engineers (Supply Chain or Business Administration also considered)
• Minimum 5 years' experience in direct material procurement in a manufacturing environment (5-7 years preferred)
• Experience purchasing raw materials and production components such as alloys, titanium, stainless steel, lead, welding gases (argon), wire and cable; aerospace / MRO exposure is an advantage
• Hands-on experience with consignment inventory (supplier-owned stock held on site and paid for only when withdrawn for use)
• Experience buying OEM parts and production components
• Strong negotiation skills
• ERP/MRP proficiency
• Familiar with blanket orders, spot buying and material planning interactions
• Good understanding of inventory management concepts (Min/Max, safety stock, coverage)
• Good command of English is a must – regular communication with overseas group sites and suppliers
• Proactive, collaborative and service-minded with cross-functional teams