Assistant FSQ System Manager

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The Assistant FSQ System Lead is responsible for developing, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving the Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSQMS) across 2 manufacturing sites. This role ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, customer expectations, certification standards, and company policies while promoting a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the organization.

The incumbent will lead FSQ system governance, certification management, audit programs, risk management activities, and cross-functional improvement initiatives to ensure both sites consistently operate in compliance with applicable food safety, quality, and sustainability standards.

• Location Pasir Gudang, Johor
• Reporting to Food Safety and Quality Manager,
  
  

Key responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with EHS, food safety, quality, customer, statutory and regulatory requirements across both sites.
• Develop, implement, maintain and verify the effectiveness of FSQ programs including HACCP, VACCP, TACCP, food safety risk assessments and Quality Management Systems.
• Maintain accurate FSQ records in Intelex, ensuring timely action tracking, closure and supporting documentation.
• Manage the FSQMS database, controlled documents, policies, procedures and records, including review, approval, version control and accessibility across both sites.
• Drive standardization and harmonization of FSQ systems, procedures and best practices across sites.
• Lead HACCP team activities, including hazard reviews, validation and verification of OPRPs and CCPs, and ensure effective implementation of PRPs.
• Manage raw material FSQ approvals and releases within delegated authority and escalate non-conformities or risks to the FSQ Manager.Coordinate and verify traceability exercises, mock recalls, crisis simulations, GEMBA walks and site inspections, ensuring compliance and closure of identified gaps.
• Lead certification and audit programs, including FSSC 22000, HACCP, GMP, Halal, Kosher, RSPO, Rainforest Alliance and other applicable schemes, covering planning, readiness, execution, corrective actions, renewals and ongoing compliance.
• Liaise with external auditors, certification bodies and regulatory authorities, while monitoring regulatory, customer and Kerry standard updates and assessing site impacts.
• Manage customer portals, enquiries and questionnaires, ensuring timely and accurate submissions.Analyze FSQ trends, incidents, complaints, audit findings and KPIs to drive continuous improvement initiatives and strengthen food safety culture.
• Support global and regional FSQ initiatives, promote organizational understanding of FSQ requirements, and deliver FSQ training programs for site and cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Procurement, RDA, Commercial and other functions to ensure effective FSQ implementation.
• Lead or coordinate investigations into food safety incidents, deviations, adverse events, complaints and non-conformities, including root cause analysis, corrective actions, effectiveness verification and escalation in line with global protocols.
• Consolidate FSQ performance data, prepare management and regional reports, and coordinate FSQMS management reviews, including tracking and closure of agreed actions
  
  

Qualifications and skills

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Industrial Bioscience, Chemistry, or related disciplines.
• Minimum 5 years of quality assurance and food safety management experience within the food manufacturing industry, with at least 2 years in a senior executive / supervisory / leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), HACCP, FSSC 22000, Malaysian regulatory requirements, and other relevant food safety standards and auditing practices.
• Sound knowledge of Halal, Kosher, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Rainforest Alliance requirements and certification.
• Ability to lead and facilitate root cause analysis, risk assessment and gap assessment to identify improvement opportunities.
• Possesses Certified food safety lead auditor or equivalent auditing competency
• Experience with spray drying and/or blending processes is highly desirable.