QA Engineer

Belcolade is located at Erembodegem and is a division of Puratos. Puratos is a growing, international, Belgian family business with a team of more than 10 000 employees worldwide.
We at Puratos cultivate an inclusive global workplace, that fully embraces diversity and equal opportunities for all. We strive to reflect the richness of our customers, communities and society, accelerating our ability to innovate and deliver on our commitments.

Become our QA engineer at Belcolade, Erembodegem, and manage with the quality team (17) a high performing quality management system for our Belgian chocolate production. You ensure the implementation of a food safety and quality culture in accordance with Puratos Group standards and policies. You focus on either internal (Belcolade production) or external (Supplier, customers and outsourcing production and services) quality.
 
Key Accountabilities

• You are key member of the HACCP team, food defense team and local crisis management team (in case of quality related incidents).
• You take part in the HACCP risk assessment, the annual HACCP verification, the annual management review and the coordination of the HACCP team. Contribute actively to food defense measures and food fraud prevention.
• You monitor and manage complaints (customers + affiliates) and ensure effectiveness of complaint handling and corrective actions in accordance with company guidelines. Follow-up of high risk complaints (incl. food safety or quality performance issue) and withdrawal of finished goods or trade goods.
• You establish, update and implement a training program for local staff on quality related topics, hygiene/GMP procedures and working instructions. Use all available tools (e.g. TV screens, DOR, Q flashes, internal magazine, on-the-job training, e-learning) to increase the quality & food safety mindset.
• You coordinate, lead and follow-up of external certification audits (incl. BRC, ACS, GMP+/FSA), external sustainability certification audits (incl. BIO/NOP, Fairtrade, Kosher, Halal, UTZ, Rainforest Alliance), inspections of authorities, customer audits and Puratos Group audits (e.g. Golden Unicorn). Perform GMP audits, internal audits and supplier audits
• You execute traceability tests (bottom-up and top-down) in accordance with local planning and on request of customers and annual mock recall.
• You establish, update, implement and follow-up of a risk-based internal audit plan and the resulting corrective/preventive actions, covering all aspects of the quality management system.
• You manage and follow-up a GMP audit plan and the resulting corrective/preventive actions. Establish, train and management of the internal and GMP audit team, covering a variety of departments.
• You establish and implement a controlled document management for the quality and food safety manual and all related documents.
• You manage the follow-up of external pest control services.
• You coordinate and lead the subcontracting meetings and select and evaluate performance of external service providers (e.g. pest control).
• You execute and document the validation of new processing lines, equipment, processes and products (including cleaning and allergen management).
• You retain, daily coach and empower the Quality team and support colleagues in other departments as it comes to implementing outsourcing requirements. Edit and implement procedures and work instructions in the quality & food safety manual related to outsourcing.
• You execute and document the validation of new outsourced activities/products (including cleaning and allergen management).

Who are we looking for?

• You have a Master or Bachelor degree in food science or equivalent through experience.
• You have min. 3-4 years of relevant experience in food industry, (cocoa) raw materials or packaging.
• You gained experience with GFSI quality standards, (internal) auditing and QC and risk assessment (incl. food fraud). Knowledge of chocolate products, ingredient functionality (incl. packaging) and chocolate processing are a big plus
• You are a strong team player, active listener, problem solver, show initiative and can act well organized.
• You use effective internal, intercompany and external communication skills
• You show adaptability to change, open mindedness and resistancy to stress.
• You master Dutch and English and preferably French.
• MS Office proficiency and preferably knowledge of SAP.