QFS Officer at Twiga Foods

Key Responsibilities

Standards & Compliance

• Customize, implement, and maintain updated standards, product specifications, procedures, and systems related to all aspects of quality, food safety, environmental health and safety, across all the value chains from field, logistics, warehouse, and customer, in compliance with relevant regulations.
• Train stakeholders in the respective value chains on standards, product specifications, procedures, and systems so that they retain quality and safety of the products and process in their scope of responsibility.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the training through a combination of assessment, certification, and evidence of the positive impact anticipated in the business results.
• Document and make standards available and accessible to all relevant stakeholders. Update standards, product specifications, procedures, and systems and communicate the changes within one week of notification from relevant regulators and agencies.

Quality and Safe Products

• Carry out assessment of new suppliers as per the supplier onboarding checklists and make recommendation to the business to:
  • on-board the supplier without qualification; or
  • on-board the supplier with qualification and monitor closure of non-conformity within agreed timelines; or
  • decline working with the supplier due to non-conformances.
• Intake or decline products within approved sampling and traceability guidelines, staging of products on FIFO or product quality and viability, and dispatch through positive release.
  • investigates customer complaints on quality issues, food safety incidences and quality non-conformances and:
  • verify the complaint and make good to the customer through the approved replacement process
  • assess the root cause of the complaint, determine the magnitude of the issue and propose an appropriate solution(s) for approval and implementation within the level of urgency warranted by the situation
  • implement solutions; assess the efficacy and incorporate learnings into ways of working and documentation, and update all relevant stakeholder as required
  • track satisfaction trends and report every quarter in line with the Net Promoter Score survey.
• Work with operating staff to implement quality procedures including product inspection, positive release, management of returns, and reworks.
• Dispatch fit-for-market products and ensure proper staging documentation of quality parameters of products is kept.

Safe Place to Work

• Develop and operationalize, through respective stakeholders, customized site safety plans for all Twiga workplaces, that support safe work practices and complies with all relevant regulations.
• Sensitize all stakeholders (employees, contractors, visitors, etc.,) to the site safety protocols and confirm understanding through a combination of assessment, certification, and evidence of the positive impact anticipated in the business results.
• Confirm the site safety plans is visible to all stakeholders. Update changes within one week of notification from relevant regulators and agencies.
• Train stakeholders (Line Managers, First Aiders, Fire Marshalls and OHS Committee Members), how to respond to and manage workplace accidents within the level of urgency warranted by the accident and/or the incident and thereafter complete and submit documentation as per statutory regulations.
• Review, analyze and track trends related to the root causes of incident/accident, recommend corrective actions, monitor implementation, assess the efficacy, incorporate learnings into ways of working and documentation, and update all relevant stakeholder as required.
• Conduct, or confirm that periodic safety drills are conducted, to assess emergency preparedness, identify areas of improvement, incorporate learnings into ways of working and update all relevant stakeholder as required.
• Keep up to date with all aspects of relevant health, safety & welfare at work legislation and communicate relevant changes to the business.

Continuous Review and Audit

• Periodically inspect workplaces to verify food safety, environment, health and safety standard and records, to assure the business of continuous compliance to set standards and regulatory requirements through walkabouts, inspections, risk assessments, fire drills, and test fire alarms and audits (internal & external).
• Evaluate audit findings, identify the root cause, recommend corrective actions, monitor implementation, assess the efficacy of the actions and confirm non-conformities are closed, incorporate learnings into ways of working and documentation, and update all relevant stakeholders as required.
• Conduct risk assessments, recommend all possible ways to mitigate identified risks, monitor to see if the risks materialize, and should they materialize, determine the magnitude and propose an appropriate solution(s) for approval and implementation within the level of urgency warranted by the situation.

Team & Self-management

• Engage, coach, manage and motive the team of Fulfilment Representatives.
• Model Twiga’s culture and way of working and inculcating this within the team.
• Deliver the performance objectives set for the team. Hold monthly 1-on-1 performance reviews with the team and with own line manager, and institute corrective action where performance falls below expectation.
• Proactively manage the teams’ and own learning and development.
• Adhere to the annual leave plan agreed with the line manager.
• Adhere to people management polices.

Compliance

• Comply with all organization policies, procedures, and statutory guidelines. Minimize and mitigate risks to the organization and enforce zero-tolerance to non-compliance.
• Close gaps/lapses identified as an outcome of audits; risk and/or any other compliance review; investigations; or other assessment mechanisms and take corrective/preventive actions within the agreed timelines.

Reporting

• Maintain custody of all relevant documentation in the format and standard set.
• Utilize organization systems as provide, capture accurate and timely data to enable sound decision making and actions.
• Present comprehensive, accurate and informative reports with trends, insights, concerns, and recommendations clearly elaborated.

Minimum Qualifications And Experience

• A Degree in a food-related course e.g., Food Science and Technology, with a working knowledge of HACCP and Health and Safety and Quality Management
• Certified training in Food Safety and Occupation Health and Safety.
• Certified First Aider and Fire Marshall.
• Certified in Project Management.
• Have at least 4 years practical experience working in a food handling/processing environment, preferably handling fresh fruits and vegetables. Demonstrable supervisory experience with the ability to guide, mentor and coach employees to enhance their skills and competencies.
• Prior experience in an FSSC 22000, BRC-Food, ISO 9001, and HSE Standards is an added advantage.
• Customer focused and results driven, able to work with a high sense of urgency, accuracy, and attention to detail, within tight deadlines and pressure, ensuring standards are maintained as milestones are achieved.
• Good critical thinking and analytical skills, problem solving judgement and decision making, able to communicate resource needs, risks, prioritize, in order to deliver results.
• Able to work both independently, efficiently, and effectively, as well as in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders at various levels and from different backgrounds. Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Have a strong affinity to working with technology. A demonstrable competence in Microsoft Office suite, dashboards and statistics. Experience working in an ERP environment is a distinct advantage.
• Positive, energetic self-starter with a high level of personal drive and resilience. Unquestionable integrity and confidentiality.
• Physically able to work on feet all day and lift goods occasionally.
• Willing and able to travel.
• Can thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth, rapidly changing environment.