Expert Manager, Market Quality - Global FMCG company / Up to 11M

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Job details

Company overview

We are the Japanese subsidiary of a U.S.-based international food company, widely operating in the fields of food, pet care, and snacks. We are particularly known for our chocolates, candies, and pet foods. We offer a range of internationally recognized brands to the domestic market, including colorful chocolate candies, snack bars, and pet foods. We are committed to product quality and strive to enhance customer satisfaction while emphasizing sustainable business practices. Specifically, we actively engage in environmental protection and social contribution activities, aiming to coexist harmoniously with local communities. To meet consumer needs, we continuously pursue the development of new products and the improvement of our services.

Responsibilities

Join a leading global food company with operations in over 70 countries and regions!They are seeking talented Expert Manager, Market Quality to oversee product quality performance for their Japanese market. With nearly 50 years of history in Japan and a portfolio of renowned pet food and confectionery brands, this is an exciting opportunity to leverage your QMS expertise in the FMCG industry.
Responsible for Quality Performance:

• Responsible for measuring and monitoring all quality performance of products / services from assigned factories. This role represents in quality review for products / services for assigned factories in Japan market.
• Seek, propose, improve, and innovate more productive ways of working to drive continuous improvement programs to achieve excellence in market unit Quality collaborating with and influencing assigned factories.
• Facilitate regular quality review with assigned factories to review their performance and agree on priorities as focus improvement.
• Drives understandings of consumers and customers insights and expectations to quality in the market. Communicate such insights / expectation with technical info to the regional and factory R&D team.
• Heighten perspective, collaborate, and influence within cross-functional team and within function by utilizing own expertise.
• Contribute to reviewing products retrieved as part of consumer/customer complaint, and supports Customer Care team in developing communication that includes RCA and CAPA when needed. This includes escalation to sourcing units for investigation.

Quality Incident Management:

• Manage quality issues/incidents in the market including non-conformance management, rework management, and hold & release management.
• In case of quality incident, lead the market unit according to the company's quality incident management process.
• At the time of a critical quality incident, Co-lead a quality incident management process in the Japan market with Line manager or higher senior leader in the market.
• Act as a single point of contact in Japan market with a factory (or factories) and drive recommendation of actions in the situations when the quality of the products / services from a factory (or factories) are in question.
• Articulate and escalate unresolved quality issues, significant quality risk/concerns that require support from upper managers.

Preventive Actions for new products and/or any change management:

• Contribute minimizing quality related issues for new products introductions and/or any product change management via risk assessment under the project management process in the area of product/package design, supply chain operations, etc. Lead any quality related issue resolution with the project team members.
• Provide inputs to R&D/Quality team by reviewing product and package specification for solid quality requirements and process control management.
• Support new project in artwork development (e.g. labelling, instruction, etc.)

Support Quality Management System (QMS) and Global Standard Compliance:

• Support QMS leader for implementation and compliance of QMS and other global standard into the operation. The role may delegate to lead compliance of a few specific Global Standards.
• Support an audit leader in QMS audits (internal/ regional / LRQA) and lead external partners audits (warehouse, distributor, copacker).

Support Team Engagement and Talent Developments:

• Support the Line Manager in co-leading/facilitating key team engagement activities.
• Support the Line Manager in developing team members through activities such as peer assistance, coaching and teaching.

Productive Ways of Working:

• Seek, propose, improve and innovate more effective and efficient ways of working in own area of responsibility in terms of when, where, and how to work.
• Identify opportunities and propose new and/or continuous improvement ideas where the team and the cross-functional team (e.g., project team) could work more effectively and efficiently together.
• Lead and drive changes by taking action, practicing, and being the catalyst
• Articulate and escalate challenges and/or issues that require support from upper managers.
• Effectively understand each other genuinely. Actively listen to stakeholders and check for understanding.
• Deliver messages concisely by adjusting style and contents to meet various needs of stakeholders.
• When any gaps are identified, demonstrate a proactive mindset and volunteer to tackle to solve them even beyond own responsibilities.
• Heighten perspective, collaborate and influence within cross-functional team and within function by utilizing own expertise.

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Requirements

• Experience within an R&D/Q&FS is required and experience in auditing of Quality Management Systems. Science background and a history of delivery; HACCP knowledge.
• 2 yrs. experience of working in a similar role in an FMCG company.
• Skills/Ability: Understanding of quality management principles, working in teams, process management, conflict resolution, technical problem solving – Root cause analysis.
• English communication skill for meeting, telephone, presentation, and email.
• Is able to perform Quality Morning Panel (assessing consumer return products) on Site (Tokyo office).

Salary

8.5 - 11 million yen

Location

Tokyo