Quality Assurance Executive

Overview

The role involves the quality start-up and stabilization of a specific production line at the Channo plant, focusing on delivering high-quality products while cultivating a strong quality culture. Responsibilities include maintaining shift quality operations, meeting KPIs like Work In Progress levels, leakages control, and minimizing red complaints, as well as enforcing stringent on-line quality controls and finished product inspections.

Key Responsibilities

• Verify that potatoes issued for production meet standard specifications by performing frying and cook tests, analyzing factors like color, internal defects, and greening percentages. Communicate findings to the Agro Department and decide on lot acceptance.
• Conduct biweekly and ad hoc tests on potatoes stored in warehouses to monitor quality.
• Perform online quality inspections during production shifts, including visual checks of key machine parameters (peelers, fryers, slicers, conveyors, seasoning tumblers), verify slice thickness and moisture, determine use of anti-foaming agents, and review operational logs.
• Execute analytical assessments such as blanching necessity tests, fryer oil quality analyses (FFA, OV, PV, foreign materials, taste, odor, specific gravity), and monitor frying parameters to ensure conformance with standards.
• Implement corrective actions based on test results, coordinate with production teams, and escalate critical issues to the Quality Manager.
• Oversee packaging area quality checks for air leakage, weight, batch printing, nitrogen flushing, and conduct random film quality reviews to comply with Frito Lay standards.
• Calibrate equipment affecting quality, manage maintenance schedules for slicer blades and peeler rollers, and maintain detailed documentation and reports on quality activities and findings.
• Lead regular quality meetings to discuss defects, corrective actions, and continuous improvements, including periodic audits to ensure safety and hygiene standards are met.
• Manage hold materials to minimize waste, including timely clearance and detailed reporting, applying Non-Compliance Disposition tags where appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with statutory regulations like Weights and Measures and FSSAI through awareness promotion and accurate record-keeping.
• Assist in resolving customer complaints by analyzing root causes, developing and implementing action plans to prevent recurrence.
• Engage in TPM initiatives for enhanced plant functions and promote a quality-focused work culture emphasizing cost of quality and continuous improvement.
• Act as Control Owner for I2C process compliance and SOX adherence, thoroughly documenting quality procedures and corrective measures.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders such as packaging leaders, shift in-charges, and maintenance coordinators, as well as external parties including distributors and sales teams.
• Provide training and supervision to quality checkers and manage Industrial Relations related to Quality Control and contract labor on the shop floor.

Qualifications and Experience

• B.Tech in Food Technology is required.
• A minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience with exposure to food safety systems, ISO standards, and preferably knowledge of FSSAI, HACCP, AIB, and TPM methodologies.