Deputy QA Manager

Full Time | Seaham, County Durham

An opportunity to lead, challenge and progress.

• Competitive Salary
• Company Pension
• Life Insurance
• Employee Benefits Platform
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 24/7 GP Access

Are you ready to take the next step towards becoming a Quality Assurance Manager?

At Prima Cheese, quality isn’t simply a department. It’s a responsibility, a mindset and a commitment that runs through everything we do.We are an award-winning, multi-site cheese processing business with 30 years of heritage, a growing international presence and an uncompromising commitment to food safety, consistency and quality.

Our standards are high. Our ambitions are even higher.

Having achieved BRCGS AA accreditation with zero non-conformances, we understand what excellence looks like. But we also believe that yesterday’s achievements should never become tomorrow’s comfort zone. That’s why we’re looking for an exceptional Deputy Quality Assurance Manager who shares our ambition, challenges conventional thinking and has the drive to become a future leader within our Quality function.

This isn’t simply about supporting a department. It’s about helping shape its future.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about doing things right. Someone who notices the details others might overlook. Someone who asks questions, challenges processes constructively and doesn’t settle for “that’s how we’ve always done it.” 

You’ll work closely with our QA Manager, taking increasing ownership of our Food Safety & Quality Management Systems while helping develop the people, processes and culture that underpin our standards.

You’ll be encouraged to bring ideas, demonstrate initiative, take responsibility and develop the technical and leadership capabilities required to progress towards a QA Manager position.

We want someone who can support today, lead tomorrow and make a difference from day one.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

Driving Food Safety & Quality Excellence

• Supporting and progressively taking ownership of our Food Safety & Quality Management Systems (FSQMS).
• Maintaining exceptional standards of food safety, legality, authenticity and quality across our operations.
• Supporting BRCGS, Halal and other external audits, ensuring continuous audit readiness rather than last-minute preparation.
• Leading internal audits, identifying opportunities for improvement and ensuring effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Supporting the development, review and verification of HACCP plans and food safety controls.

Challenging, Improving and Innovating

• Identifying weaknesses, inefficiencies and emerging risks before they become problems.
• Challenging existing practices constructively and introducing practical, measurable improvements.
• Investigating non-conformances, incidents and customer complaints with a focus on root causes and preventing recurrence.
• Analysing quality trends, identifying opportunities and turning data into meaningful actions.
• Supporting traceability, recall, mass balance and crisis management exercises.
• Contributing to a proactive food safety culture where continuous improvement is everyone’s responsibility.

Leading Through People

• Coaching, supporting and developing QA Coordinators and Technicians.
• Building strong working relationships across Production, QC, Hygiene, Engineering and Operations.
• Promoting accountability, ownership and a positive approach to quality at every level.
• Having the confidence to influence decisions, challenge standards and communicate effectively with colleagues and senior management.
• Providing capable and dependable leadership within the QA function when required.

Maintaining Operational Excellence

• Overseeing and supporting microbiological and chemical testing programmes, environmental monitoring, sampling and results verification.
• Supporting hygiene verification, scrape-down and clean-down programmes.
• Supporting pest control, waste management and site compliance activities.
• Ensuring accurate documentation, effective record management and robust follow-through on corrective actions.

Who We’re Looking For

Qualifications and Experience

You’ll ideally bring:

• Level 3 HACCP qualification or higher.
• Level 3 Food Safety in Manufacturing.
• Internal Auditor qualification (BRCGS or equivalent).
• Strong experience within a food manufacturing QA environment, ideally operating to BRCGS standards.
• Practical knowledge of HACCP, food safety systems, auditing, investigations and corrective actions.
• Experience supervising, managing, coaching or developing others.
• The ability to interpret technical information, assess risk and make sound, evidence-based decisions.

Experience in dairy or high-care food manufacturing would be advantageous.

But qualifications alone won’t define the right person.

What Will Set You Apart?

Passion. You genuinely care about food safety and take pride in achieving the highest standards.

Diligence. You understand that the smallest details can have the biggest consequences. You follow things through and never assume that compliance means complacency.

Courage. You’re confident enough to ask difficult questions, challenge decisions respectfully and speak up when something could be done better.

Ownership. You don’t wait to be told what needs improving. You identify opportunities, take initiative and deliver results.

Leadership. You bring people with you, build trust and inspire others to take pride in their work.

Ambition. You’re not simply looking for your next job title. You’re looking for the opportunity to grow, develop and ultimately lead a Quality Assurance function.

Why Prima?

At Prima, our people and our standards have helped build the business we are today.

Our values — Passion, Respect, Integrity, Motivation and Ambition — are more than words. They guide how we work, how we lead and how we grow.

We’re proud of our achievements, but we’re not interested in standing still. We continue to invest in our facilities, our people and our future. We believe in developing talent from within and giving ambitious individuals the opportunity to demonstrate what they’re capable of.

For the right candidate, this position offers:

• The opportunity to work within an established, high-performing and award-winning food manufacturing business.
• Genuine exposure to the leadership and management of a complex QA function.
• Increasing responsibility, accountability and decision-making opportunities.
• The chance to influence how quality systems, processes and people develop.
• A clear development pathway towards future QA management responsibilities, based on performance and readiness.
• A business culture that welcomes fresh thinking, constructive challenge and ambition.

The Challenge

We don’t expect you to know everything on day one. But we do expect curiosity, commitment, accountability and the determination to become better.

You’ll need to be comfortable operating in a fast-moving manufacturing environment, balancing commercial realities with uncompromising food safety standards. There will be challenges, difficult conversations and decisions that require confidence and sound judgement.

If you’re looking for a role where you can simply maintain systems and follow established routines, this probably isn’t the opportunity for you.

Prima Cheese — Be Part of the Mix.

Interested?

If you’re looking for a role where you can simply maintain systems and follow established routines, this probably isn’t the opportunity for you.

But if you want to challenge yourself, raise standards, develop people and build a career towards leading a Quality Assurance function, we’d like to hear from you.

Bring your skills, experience and personality and Be Part of the Mix. 

👉 Apply via: www.primacheese.com/careers