Reporting to: Technical Manager

Location: Montagu, Western Cape

About the Libstar Wet Condiments Category

The Wet Condiments Category is part of the Libstar Ambient Products Category, with business sites located in Montagu, Cape Town, and Johannesburg. We operate within a dynamic, forward-thinking organization dedicated to driving innovation, fostering growth, and creating a supportive, inclusive work environment. As part of the broader Libstar team, our goal is to grow our food brands and category solutions in a sustainable and profitable manner. We prioritize building strong relationships with our customers and aim to be South Africa’s leading producer and distributor of high-quality products and brands. To achieve this, we believe that our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to investing in their development and well-being.

Purpose of the Role

Montagu Foods is a leading FMCG manufacturer of high-quality condiments, sweet sauces, cook-in sauces, jellies, glazes, toppings, soups, preserves, relishes, mushrooms, coulis, pour over sauces and honey in various types of packaging. Montagu foods is dedicated to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the food industry. Based in Montagu, South Africa, we pride ourselves on delivering premium products that meet the evolving needs of our clients while upholding the highest standards of safety and quality. We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Quality Manager to drive our commitment to food safety, quality and a strong food safety culture.

As Quality Manager, you will be responsible for managing all aspects of quality control and assurance by championing food safety, quality and compliance. This role manages the controls in place to ensure consistent delivery of safe, high-quality products that uphold consumer trust and organisational excellence.
This is a hands-on management role that requires tenacity, operational expertise, and a passion for fostering a positive, high-performance work environment in a fast-paced manufacturing setting. This role will support Factories 1, 2,3 and 4.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing & Process Control:

• Manage the strict adherence to GMP, hygiene, sanitation, pest control, and foreign body prevention programs in the facilities.
• Manage the implementation of agreed production processes, SOPs, and quality limits.
• Support the product release process and decision-making.
• Monitor and verify process controls. Manage the change management process into the facility
• Maintain good laboratory practices and use of validated testing methods.

HACCP & Risk Management:

• Serve as a second in charge to the Food Safety Team Leader.
• Ensure robust implementation of all process controls to manage all hazards identified as relevant in all factories.
• Manage the CCPs and OPRPs including their verification, and trending of their performance.
• Ensure effective traceability system remain implemented and tested as required by the business and its customers.

Incoming Raw Material Quality:

• Manage the process of receiving incoming materials per agreed specifications.
• Manage supplier non-conformances and input the trends into supplier performance reviews.
• In liaison with the warehouse team, manage the stock age report to ensure that materials close to expiry are managed appropriately.
• Enforce FIFO/FEFO across all warehouses

Management of Customer Complaints:

• Own the complaint management process on customer portals as relevant.
• Investigate complaints using root cause analysis tools (5 Why, Fishbone).
• Submit timely, professional corrective action responses to the technical manager
• Track complaint trends and drive improvement.

Team Leadership & Food Safety Culture:

• Lead, develop QC teams and ensure disciplined execution of tasks and responsibilities.
• Support the development of training materials that address emerging issues in the facilities.
• Support the training of all staff on food safety, hygiene, allergen management, customer requirements
• Champion a “right-first-time” culture across all departments aligned with the expectations of the business and customers.

Audits, Certifications & Inspections:

• In liaison with the Technical Manager manage:
  • Customer audits and inspections
  • Third-party audits (BRCGS, IBL, ZA audits)
  • Manage the internal audit and verification programs
• Lead audits in the absence of the Technical Manager.
• Close non-conformances within stipulated timelines.
• Manage corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), root cause analysis, and effectiveness reviews.
• Maintain constant audit readiness in the facility.

Quality and Food Safety Reporting & Management Review:

• Provide input into the Management review and Food Safety team meeting
• Report on quality and Food Safety KPIs such as
  • Facility performance on quality and food safety KPIs
  • Complaints
  • CCP compliance
  • Supplier and incoming material performance

Customer Information Systems and Platforms:

• Manage the customer platforms within agreed timelines

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Biotechnology or related field
• Advanced training in Food Safety Systems e.g. BRGCS, IBL, FSSC 22000
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a factory QC environment, with a proven track record.

Personal Attributes & Competencies

• An affinity for technology and online portals.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of independent decision-making
• Results-driven with a focus on excellence and accountability.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to lead and influence.
• Hands-on and approachable, with a practical leadership style that balances accountability and support.
• Resilient under pressure and adaptable to change.
• Organised, systematic, and able to prioritise in a fast-moving environment.
• Ability to work with others within the Wet Condiments Category.

Additional Information

You may occasionally be required to perform duties outside of your normal scope to meet operational needs.

Application

Please email your CV, outlining qualifications and experience, along with a motivation highlighting why you should be considered, to francene.koopman@montfoods.co.za.
Include the position you are applying for in the email subject line. Application deadline: 20 May 2025
If you have not received a response within two weeks of the closing date for applications, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

Please note that you may on occasion be required to perform tasks that are not part of your normal daily duties but may be necessary due to the operational requirements of the Company.

POPIA Compliance In accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), Retailer Brands processes personal information lawfully and transparently. Please review our HR Processing Notice on www.libstar.co.za/legal or request a printed copy from the HR Department before submitting your application.

NOTE:
To consider any application for employment, we will have to process your personal information. The Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), provides that when one processes another’s personal information, such collection, retention, dissemination, and use of that person’s personal information must be done in a lawful and transparent manner.

To give effect to the above, we are required to provide you with information regarding the processing of your personal information. This information is recorded under the HR Processing Notice, which can be accessed and viewed on the Company website at https://www.libstar.co.za/legal/.