Position overview
We are looking for a strong, experienced and highly detail-oriented Quality Control professional to join our Liquids Manufacturing Department.
This is a critical production-floor position responsible for ensuring that all liquid products manufactured meet the required quality standards, specifications and customer expectations throughout the manufacturing process.
The successful candidate must have the confidence, knowledge and authority to stop a production line where a quality concern or deviation is identified. This person will play a key role in preventing defective or non-conforming products from progressing through the manufacturing process and ultimately reaching our clients.
This is not a purely administrative quality position. We require someone who is hands-on, decisive, technically minded and comfortable working directly alongside production teams.
Key responsibilities
Production quality control
- Conduct quality inspections and checks throughout the liquid manufacturing process.
- Monitor products at various stages of production to ensure they conform to approved specifications and standards.
- Conduct and/or coordinate in-process quality checks, including appearance, colour, odour, viscosity, pH, fill volume and other product-specific parameters.
- Verify that products are manufactured according to approved formulations, specifications and production procedures.
- Identify deviations, defects, inconsistencies or abnormalities during production.
- Ensure that production batches meet the required quality standards before being released to the next stage of the process.
- Perform sampling in accordance with established procedures and ensure samples are correctly identified and documented.
- Monitor filling and packaging processes to identify issues such as incorrect fill volumes, leakage, contamination, incorrect labels, coding or packaging defects.
Quality authority
- Have the authority and responsibility to stop a production line when a quality issue is identified.
- Immediately escalate significant quality deviations to the appropriate Production and Quality management.
- Prevent non-conforming product from continuing through the production process.
- Place affected product or batches on hold where required.
- Assist with investigations into quality deviations and identify the root cause of problems.
- Ensure corrective action is taken before production resumes.
- Verify that corrective actions have been effective before allowing affected production to continue.
Documentation and traceability
- Accurately complete all required quality control documentation and production records.
- Maintain accurate records of inspections, testing, deviations, holds and corrective actions.
- Ensure full batch traceability and that quality documentation is completed correctly and timeously.
- Review production documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- Report quality concerns and recurring production issues to management.
- Assist with maintaining and improving quality control procedures and work instructions.
GMP and quality systems
- Ensure compliance with applicable Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements and company quality procedures.
- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness, hygiene and quality awareness within the production environment.
- Ensure quality procedures are followed consistently by production personnel.
- Participate in internal quality audits and inspections where required.
- Assist with investigations, corrective and preventative actions (CAPA), non-conformances and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Promote a strong quality-first culture throughout the manufacturing environment.
Key competencies
The successful candidate must be:
- Extremely detail-oriented
- Quality driven and uncompromising when standards are not met
- Confident enough to challenge production when necessary
- Decisive and able to make sound quality-related decisions
- Comfortable exercising authority to stop production
- Calm under pressure
- Highly observant and analytical
- Strong in problem-solving and root-cause analysis
- Excellent at documentation and record keeping
- Able to communicate effectively with both production staff and management
- Able to work independently while functioning effectively as part of a team
- Consistent and disciplined in applying quality standards
- Proactive rather than simply reacting to quality problems
Minimum requirements
- Relevant qualification in Quality Control, Quality Assurance
- Previous experience in a manufacturing quality control environment.
- Experience working directly on a production floor is highly advantageous.
- Experience with liquid manufacturing will be strongly advantageous.
- Knowledge and practical understanding of GMP and quality management systems.
- Experience with in-process quality inspections and batch documentation.
- Experience identifying and managing non-conforming products and production deviations.
- Strong computer and documentation skills.
- Good communication skills in English.
Experience that would be highly advantageous
Experience within:
- Cosmetic manufacturing
- Personal care manufacturing
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing
- Chemical manufacturing
- Food or beverage manufacturing
- Liquid blending and filling operations
- GMP-regulated manufacturing environments
Important personal requirements
The successful candidate must understand that quality takes priority over production output.
We are looking for someone who will not hesitate to say: “Stop. This product does not meet specification.”
The individual must have the confidence and integrity to stop production when necessary, investigate the issue, communicate the concern clearly and ensure that production only resumes once the required quality standards have been met.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance in this position will be measured against:
- Reduction in quality defects and non-conforming product
- Accurate and timely completion of QC documentation
- Effective identification of quality issues before products reach clients
- Compliance with approved specifications and procedures
- Effective management and escalation of production deviations
- Consistent GMP compliance
- Accuracy and reliability of quality inspections and testing
- Reduction in customer complaints relating to product quality
- Effective communication between Quality and Production
- Maintenance of complete product and batch traceability
Reporting structure
Reports to: Quality Manager / Operations Manager
Department: Quality / Liquids Manufacturing
Location: Production Floor / Manufacturing Facility
Role objective
The primary objective of this position is to ensure that every product leaving the Liquids Department meets the company’s required quality standards and, most importantly, the expectations of our clients.
The successful candidate will act as an independent quality checkpoint within production, protecting the company and its clients by identifying and addressing quality issues before they become customer complaints.