Head of Quality Assurance & Control

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

Role Purpose

• Working closely with Production, Warehouse, Administration, Sales & Marketing, and Executive Management, the successful candidate will build a strong quality culture that protects the Ayoola Foods brand while supporting operational excellence and sustainable business growth.
• This role provides strategic leadership across quality assurance, quality control, laboratory operations, supplier quality, factory hygiene, and continuous improvement.
• The Head of Quality Assurance & Control is responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving Ayoola Foods' Quality Management System to ensure every product consistently meets the highest standards of food safety, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities
Quality Management:

• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and quality policies.
• Establish and maintain quality standards across all manufacturing processes.
• Ensure consistent product quality throughout the production lifecycle.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the company's Quality Management System (QMS).
• Monitor quality performance and drive corrective and preventive actions

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with NAFDAC regulations and all applicable food safety standards.
• Maintain and improve HACCP, GMP, sanitation, and hygiene programmes.
• Ensure all products consistently meet internal specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Keep abreast of changes in food safety legislation and implement necessary improvements.
• Lead internal quality audits and coordinate external regulatory inspections.

Supplier & Raw Material Quality:

• Collaborate with relevant teams to ensure only approved materials are used in production.
• Approve or reject incoming raw materials based on established quality standards.
• Monitor supplier quality performance and recommend improvements where necessary.
• Investigate supplier-related quality issues and work with Management to implement corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain raw material quality specifications.

Laboratory & Production Quality:

• Analyse laboratory results and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Oversee laboratory testing of raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods.
• Ensure laboratory equipment is properly maintained and calibrated.
• Work closely with Production to resolve quality issues without compromising food safety standards.
• onitor critical control points throughout manufacturing.

Customer Quality & Continuous Improvement:

• Recommend improvements to products, manufacturing processes, and quality systems.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor quality trends to identify recurring issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Investigate customer complaints relating to product quality.
• Lead initiatives that reduce waste, improve efficiency, and strengthen overall product consistency.

Leadership & Training:

• Promote a culture of quality, food safety, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organisation. • Deliver quality and food safety training to employees.
• Support cross-functional collaboration to ensure quality objectives are achieved throughout the business.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Quality team.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Number and severity of customer quality complaints.
• Successful completion of internal and external regulatory audits.
• Staff quality training completion and competency levels.
• Reduction in product defects, waste, and rework.
• Product quality compliance rate.
• Corrective and preventive action (CAPA) closure rates.
• Continuous improvement initiatives successfully implemented.
• Laboratory testing accuracy and turnaround times.
• Supplier quality performance.
• Compliance with food safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• Professional certifications in HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, or Food Safety Management Systems are highly desirable.

Experience:

• Essential: Minimum of 10 years' experience in quality assurance and quality control within a food manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP, food safety systems, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading laboratory operations and implementing quality management systems.
• Demonstrated experience managing regulatory inspections and audits.
• At least 5 years in a leadership or supervisory quality role.

Preferred:

• Experience working with supplier quality management and raw material quality assurance.
• Experience implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
• Familiarity with ISO 22000 or other internationally recognised food safety standards.
• Experience within a reputable FMCG food manufacturing company.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative approach with the confidence to work across multiple departments.
• Strong leadership and people development skills.
• Continuous improvement mindset with a commitment to operational excellence.
• Strong communication and influencing abilities.
• High level of integrity and professional accountability.
• Ability to challenge decisions where quality or food safety may be compromised.
• Exceptional attention to detail.

What Will Make Someone Successful in This Role:

• The successful candidate will be a proactive quality leader who builds systems that prevent problems rather than simply identifying them.
• They will possess strong technical expertise, excellent leadership skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across departments to maintain the highest standards of food safety and product quality.
• They will be passionate about continuous improvement, committed to protecting the Ayoola Foods brand, and capable of embedding a culture where quality is everyone's responsibility