Quality Assurance and Risk Management Officer

ob Title                                            Job Title: Quality Assurance and Risk Management Officer

                                                         Location: Canelands, Durban            

ABOUT UPL:

UPL is focused on emerging as a premier global provider of total crop solutions designed to secure the world’s long-term food supply. Winning farmer's hearts across the globe, while leading the way with innovative products and services that make agriculture sustainable, UPL is the fastest-growing company in the industry. Our successes in the field add up to powerful financials. UPL delivers results from protecting crops that translate into attractive investor value. Based on the recognition that humankind is one community, UPL’s overarching commitment is to improve areas of its presence, workplace, and customer engagement.

Our purpose is ‘OpenAg’. An agriculture network that feeds sustainable growth for all. No limits, no borders.

We are one team, for maximum impact. One team with shared goals. We have a laser-like focus on what our customers need and want, on anticipating their future needs, and on how we can create innovative solutions and experiences for them. We think outside the box and go beyond our comfort zone. We believe in agility, we mix the power of speed, with structure from process. And wherever we can, we always believe in having fun

Role Summary

This position will provide Quality leadership and direction for the manufacturing operations. Develop processes and procedures to ensure adherence to quality standards of all products and processes. Overall, the role is responsible for quality in line with ISO Quality Management Systems and related UPL quality processes.                             

Role Responsibilities

Quality Management [Functional Area: EG: Manufacturing & Facilities, Recruitment, Sales, accounting, creditors, general legal, taxation, etc]

• Monitor and advise on the performance of the quality management system, produce data and report on performance, measuring against set standards. Manage lab activities and testing protocol.

• Liaise with other managers and staff throughout the organization to ensure that the quality management system is functioning properly. Where appropriate, advise on changes and how to implement them and provide training, tools, and techniques to enable others to achieve quality standards.

• Achieves quality assurance operational objectives by contributing information and analysis to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer service standards; identifying and resolving problems; completing audits; determining system improvements; implementing change.

• Develops quality assurance plans by conducting hazard analyses; identifying critical control points and preventive measures; establishing critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, and verification procedures; monitoring inventories.

• Validates quality processes by establishing product specifications and quality attributes; measuring production; documenting evidence; determining operational and performance qualification; writing and updating quality assurance procedures.

• Maintains and improves product quality by completing product, company, system, compliance, and surveillance audits; investigating customer complaints; collaborating with other members of management to develop new product and engineering designs, and manufacturing and training methods.

• Prepares quality documentation and reports by collecting, analysing and summarizing information and trends including failed processes, stability studies, recalls, corrective actions, and re-validations.

• Updates job knowledge by studying trends and developments in quality management; participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks.

• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests, exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

• Follow ISO Compliance Procedures and assist in overseeing quality improvement projects.

• Research Quality issues that arise with non-confirming product.

Accountability and Reporting [Functional Area: EG: Manufacturing & Facilities, Recruitment, Sales, accounting, creditors, general legal, taxation, etc]

• Accomplish quality assurance objectives by monitoring, reviewing, and enforcing policies and procedures
• Implement methods to inspect, test and evaluate products and production equipment
• and develop quality audit documentation for all product lines
• Maintain and improve product quality by completing in-process and final product audits to ensure that products adhere to company-defined quality standards
• Complete compliance and certification audits to ensure that products adhere to defined industry and governmental quality standards
• Prepare quality documentation and reports by collecting, analysing, and summarizing quality information and trends
• Define training requirements for production personnel on quality standards and objectives
• Define and create corrective action process to reduce all overall quality issues and improve final product quality.
• Develop and implement supplier quality assessment processes and develop and control incoming product material verification and testing processes

Decision Making [Functional Area: EG: Manufacturing & Facilities, Recruitment, Sales, accounting, creditors, general legal, taxation, etc]

• Authority to accept or reject non-complying products and processes as necessary; assist Production with remediation steps to correct quality issues.

Responsibility Weightage and % of Time Spent Matrix

Financial Accountability

• Stock and Consumable control

Strategic:                                                        Routine 50%: Strategic 50%

Number of Direct Reports:                         4

Number of Indirect Reports:                      0

Internal Stakeholders

Stakeholder 1

• Plant Managers and Plant Supervisors

Stakeholder 2

• Reporting Managers

Stakeholder 3

• F&D department

Stakeholder 4

• Toll out Manager

Stakeholder 5

• CCP team and Project leaders.

Stakeholder 6

• Commercial and Marketing teams

External Interactions

Stakeholder 1

• Tollers- Plant Supervisors/Managers

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

Technical Requirements:

• BSc. Chemistry or Bachelor’s degree in Quality Management or National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry.
• At least 5 years of Quality Assurance experience
• Sound experience with implementing and maintaining Quality Programs, such as ISO9001.
• Min 5 yrs experience in QC laboratory. Preferrable experience in a laboratory within an agricultural manufacturing environment

Behavioural Requirements

• Demonstrate a strong drive to operate and engage with cross functional teams to deliver improvements
• Attention to detail
• Methodical analytical capabilities
• Ability to handle high pressure environment /situations
• Proficiency in time management
• Strong Communication Skills
• Customer focus
• Individual & self-development
• Collaborative teamwork
• Result orientated
• Strong negotiation skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Adapt to Change Management
• Professional level of spoken and written English as per the Site language                      

UPL Competencies 

 Adaptability & Resilience

Recognizes and is open to changing circumstances and alters behavior and scales up as necessary; increases personal awareness and appreciation of individual and cultural differences to create an open, inclusive, and accepting workplace

• Entrepreneurial Mindset 

Has a creative mindset and ability to think holistically, takes calculated risks and maximizes opportunities

• Results Orientations

Acts, pursues goals with persistence and achieves results; communicates goals and vision to the team to drive enthusiasm and ambition

• Execution Excellence

Enhances the speed of execution and builds efficiency in processes, systems, and people; has sharp focus on quality-orientation

• Strategic Orientation

Demonstrates knowledge of the social, economic, and environmental factors and how they impact the business. Identifies key issues that could impact the business and develops strategy through an analytical lens / design thinking

• Building Teams and Talent

Empowers colleagues through knowledge sharing and delegation, quickly establishing rapport; provides recognition for achievements and accomplishments

• Customer Centricity

Understands the customer needs and pain points, fulfills the needs and expectations by focusing on creating value for customers.