Food Safety and Quality Manager – Namib Mills
Job Description
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Food Safety and Quality Manager is responsible for developing, leading, implementing, and maintaining the Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSSC 22000 (current version)) across Namib Mills. This role aims to ensure that Namib Mills achieves and retains FSSC 22000 certification by embedding a culture of food safety and quality at all levels of the organisation, managing the internal audit programme, and serving as the primary liaison with certification bodies and external auditors.
The role carries overall accountability for the Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSMS) in compliance with the requirements of FSSC 22000, including, inter alia, the food fraud vulnerability assessment, food defence planning, and allergen management, and leads a dedicated team of quality assurance professionals to drive continuous improvement, Namibian and other legislative compliance, and best-practice food safety and quality governance across all Namib Mills sites.
KEY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Quality Assurance and Accreditation Management:
- Lead and coordinate all activities required to develop, implement, achieve, and maintains 22000 certification (current version) for Namib Mills.
- Own the Food Safety and Quality Management System and ensure it is implemented, maintained, and continually improved in line with FSSC 22000 requirements.
- Supervise the existing maintenance of the Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001) and Food Safety systems (BRCGS, & HACCP) at all Namib Mills sites until FSSC 22000 certification is obtained for the designated sites.
- Maintain current knowledge of FSSC 22000 scheme requirements, including ISO 22000requirements, and applicable sector-specific pre-requisite programmes (PRPs).
- Lead the HACCP team and facilitate HACCP studies, hazard analysis, critical control point (CCP) determination, and monitoring plan development.
- Develop, review, and update all food safety policies, procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and work instructions relevant to the FSMS.
- Coordinate Management Review meetings and prepare comprehensive food safety performance reports for senior leadership.
- Ensure food safety objectives are set, communicated, monitored, and reported within the business.
Pre-requisite Programmes (PRPs) & Good Manufacturing Practice:
- Oversee the implementation and monitoring of additional infrastructure and maintain PRPs, , and hygiene programmes in alignment with ISO 22002-100 (food manufacturing – current version).
- Conduct and coordinate GMP inspections, environmental monitoring programmes, and provide pest control oversight and compliance.
- Ensure supplier and raw material approval processes, are in line with FSSC 22000 requirements, including conducting supplier audits where applicable.
- Manage traceability and product recalls.
- As necessary travel to all necessary sites to attend to food safety and quality matters.
- Manage customer complaints, non-conformances and corrective actions relating to food safety and quality, ensuring root cause analysis (with adequate investigations) and ensuring corrective actions are timely completed and communicated.
- Ensure that all manual documents, policies, procedures, work instructions, checklists, HACCP studies and other documentation as required by FSSC 22000 are developed, maintained, and revised. Ensure these documents are version-controlled, accessible, and reflect current FSSC 22000 requirements, including allergen management, food fraud vulnerability assessment (VACCP), and food defence (TACCP).
- Ensure food safety and quality objectives are set, communicated, monitored, and reported within the business.
- Ensure that food safety and quality culture objectives are set and managed.
- Ensure that food loss and waste objectives are set and managed.
- Ensure that all risk assessments as required by FSSC 22000 are conducted by competent teams.
Regulatory Compliance & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Ensure full compliance with applicable Namibian and other food safety legislation, company policies and procedures, and FSSC 22000 scheme requirements, including food fraud vulnerability assessment and food defence planning.
- Represent the company on all relevant regulatory forums and committees to ensure the company remains compliant and informed about relevant regulatory changes.
- Plan, schedule, and lead the annual internal audit programme in accordance with FSSC 22000 requirements; coordinate third-party certification and surveillance audits; ensure all non-conformances are tracked to effective closure.
- Plan and execute a risk-based internal audit programme covering all elements of the FSSC 22000 scheme and relevant PRPs.
- Lead or coordinate internal audits and ensure audit findings are clearly documented with actionable corrective action requirements.
- Maintain an internal audit schedule and track corrective action close-out to ensure systemic improvements are realised.
- Develop and maintain the competence of internal food safety auditors across the operation.
- Liaise with regulatory authorities, customers, and third-party auditors as required.
Continuous Improvement & Reporting:
- Champion a proactive food safety and quality culture across all sites by designing and delivering role-specific training programmes aligned with FSSC 22000 requirements, including food safety awareness, HACCP principles, GMP, and allergen management, as well as food defence and food fraud awareness
- Analyse food safety performance data, audit outcomes, customer complaints, and trend analysis to identify improvement opportunities.
- Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual food safety performance reports to the GM and relevant stakeholders.
- Lead or support food safety incident investigations, including product withdrawals or recalls, and coordinate communication with relevant authorities.
- Benchmark Namib Mills’ FSMS against industry best practice and emerging standards.
- Lead and drive continual improvement initiatives within the Food Safety and Quality Management System, utilising root cause analysis, trend data from customer complaints, audit findings, and KPI performance to systematically eliminate recurrence and raise food safety and quality standards across Namib Mills.
- Coordinate Management Review meetings and prepare comprehensive food safety performance reports to relevant departments and management.
- Advise, guide and provide assistance to all departments with the maintenance and implementation of Food Safety and Quality Management Systems.
Human Resources and Budgets:
- Responsible for assisting with the new employee enrolment and appointments in accordance with company standards and legislation.
- Interview staff for appointments and ensure that all relevant Human Resources processes and procedures are adhered to.
- Manage, coach, and develop the Food Safety and Quality team, setting clear performance objectives aligned to the FSSC 22000 programme and fostering a high-performance culture of accountability and continuous learning.
- Initiating disciplinary inquiries, handling grievances and the optimal output of all subordinates.
- Responsible for the performance targets and performance contracts of subordinates.
- Develop and maintain the competence of internal food safety auditors across the operation.
- Foster a culture of food safety ownership across all departments through engagement, communication, and visible leadership.
- Prepare and submit a departmental financial budget.
- Managing and controlling of expenses to ensure efficient use of resources.
Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, manage, and develop the Food Safety & QA team, including QA Supervisors, Food Safety Officers, and Laboratory Technicians.
- Conduct regular performance evaluations and coaching conversations aligned with the NMI Group performance management framework.
- Build team competence through structured training, awareness programmes, and participation in food safety forums and industry bodies.
- Foster a culture of food safety ownership across all departments through engagement, communication, and visible leadership.
Ad Hoc
- Performing any additional ad hoc tasks as and when required by management.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Grade 12 (NQF Level 4).
- B-Tech or BSc in Food Technology / Food Science / Microbiology / Chemistry
- Post-graduate qualification will be an advantage
- Minimum of 5 – 8 years’ work experience in an FSSC 22000 work environment.
- Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience at a managerial level.
- FSSC 22000 Lead Auditor certificate will be an advantage.
- Knowledge of budgets and cost/benefit analyses
- Namibian citizen or eligible to become a Namibian citizen.
- Computer literacy with working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
- Proficiency in English and Afrikaans.
- Valid driver’s licence.
COMPETENCIES REQUIRED
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Integrity and ethical conduct
- Problem-solving and analytical thinking
- Planning and organising
- Resilience and composure under pressure
- Commitment to food safety culture
- Team leadership and people development
- Stakeholder engagement and influence
- Strategic thinking and business acumen
- Change management and continuous improvement
- Communication and reporting
- Accountability and ownership
Closing date: 4 August 2026
