Quality Assurance Coordinator

If you believe that “good enough” never is, that a swab result can tell a whole story, and that great quality is built on habits, checklists and the occasional well-timed audit — you may have just found your next move.

The Role (or your chance to keep Montego’s promise on every plate)

As our Quality Assurance Coordinator, you’ll be the trusted right hand to the SHEQ Manager, making sure our food safety and quality assurance standards aren’t just written down — they’re lived, every shift. From sampling and lab results to internal audits and corrective action, you’ll keep our standards sharp and our records watertight.

You’ll also lead a small team, train the wider floor on getting it right first time, and be the calm, methodical presence when a customer complaint or a mock recall needs proper investigation. Based across Graaff-Reinet (Dry & Treats) and Centurion, you’ll help make “Better Every Day” a measurable, provable thing.

What you’ll be doing (besides being brilliant)

Quality Control

• Complete swabs and samples per the sampling schedule — hand, surface, air plates and water — and send them to the external lab for testing
• Work with the SHEQ Manager to identify corrective action for results outside range, implement it (training, water treatment, cleaning) and take follow-up samples to prove it worked
• Complete all required water samples, including full SANS 241 analysis, and submit to the external lab
• Make sure the Quality Controller’s checks are done on time and submitted correctly
• Send raw-material samples that fail internal micro testing to the external lab for retesting, along with any tests requested by the Nutrition & Development Specialist
• Calibrate relevant equipment, keep the Master Calibration Sheet current and coordinate recalibration where needed

Administration

• Verify the accurate completion of checklists and documents — cleaning checklists, water activity and moisture forms, and production pack information (with the Production Assistant)
• Deliver training such as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and pest control, set the assessments, and keep attendance and results on record
• Train Quality Controllers on the right checklists and documentation
• Draft and update checklists and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and communicate changes to stakeholders with records kept
• Inspect product return categories and verify the Returns Inspection Form and capture wastage on the relevant waste stream.
• Lead customer complaint investigations — contacting customers, liaising with Engineering, Production and the Veterinary Surgeon, and feeding lab analyses through to Customer Service
• Run and maintain internal audit schedules, report findings to the HOD and SHEQ Manager, capture them on the Master Gap List and follow up on corrective action with evidence before closing
• Support the QA team during food safety incidents and mock recalls and actively participate in external audits
• Raise Purchase Requisitions (PRs) for consumables, chemicals, reagents and supplier calibrations
• Investigate non-conformances, gather physical evidence and draft reports with recommendations for the SHEQ Manager

People Management

• Manage the attendance and performance of your team against expected standards
• Offer day-to-day guidance and support — and, where needed, appropriate disciplinary action
• Grow your people through on-the-job training and honest feedback
• Play your part in interviewing, selecting and appointing new team members
• Hold regular meetings and keep communication open and ongoing
• Approve team leave and manage overtime where applicable
• Live and demonstrate the Company Culture, bringing its six themes into the workplace

Hygiene, Housekeeping & Health and Safety

• Adhere to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Food Safety (FSSC 22000) standards
• Identify hazards, put corrective and preventative measures in place, and report risks to Management
• Keep to personal hygiene standards and maintain a clean, tidy work area at all times
• Lend a hand with cleaning across areas during shutdown and maintenance

What you’ll need to bring

• A Certificate or Diploma in Food Safety or Quality Assurance, or equivalent (NQF Level 5 or 6)
• A Degree in Food Safety or Quality Assurance, or equivalent (NQF Level 7) — advantageous
• 3 years of quality assurance experience in a food manufacturing environment
• A valid Code B driver’s licence, and certification as an internal Auditor — advantageous
• Proficiency in MS Office and confidence drawing samples and swabs
• Sound knowledge of food safety standards, GMP training and assessment, internal audit processes and internal and external lab tests

Skills that make things happen

• Proficiency in MS Office
• Drawing of samples and swabs
• Clear communication and time management
• Facilitation, training and assessment
• Monitoring and problem-solving

And the behaviours that make it stick

• Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy
• Calm and effective under pressure
• Flexible and adaptable
• Methodical, with a healthy suspicion of “good enough”

A note on the fine print: this role may involve shift work, including weekends, public holidays, night shifts and overtime. From time to time you may be asked to take on tasks beyond the day-to-day as operational needs require, occasionally without delay and outside normal hours. We’ll always keep it fair.

About Montego

Montego Pet Nutrition, a family business established in 2000 in the Karoo region of South Africa, is a well-loved and innovative pet care brand committed to establishing Africa as an important player in the global pet industry. For 26 years, our genuine love of pets has been at the heart of our business and supports our promise of “Better Every Day”. Today, pet owners in more than 39 countries across multiple continents trust us to produce world-class products with the health and wellbeing of pets in mind.