Customer Quality & Technical Services Manager

Locations: MA or MD - Please note, this is an on-site role, candidates can chose either location with relocation assistance offered to those who need it.

The Opportunity

An established food manufacturer is looking to appoint a Customer Quality & Technical Services Manager to strengthen its customer assurance and technical compliance programmes.

This role will take ownership of customer-specific quality requirements, technical agreements and compliance obligations, ensuring commitments made to customers are clearly understood, communicated and delivered across the business.

Working closely with Quality, Food Safety, Supply Chain, Procurement and Operations, you'll oversee customer documentation, technical standards, audit requirements and corrective actions. You'll also help identify potential risks, improve internal processes and ensure the business is prepared to meet both existing and evolving customer expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the review and implementation of customer technical agreements, quality standards, codes of practice and supplier requirements.

• Oversee customer questionnaires, technical documentation, compliance submissions, product validations and audit responses.

• Maintain accurate records of customer agreements, specific requirements, renewal dates and contractual notification obligations.

• Translate customer expectations around ingredients, raw materials, labelling, supply chain and product information into clear internal procedures.

• Coordinate customer audits, technical meetings and follow-up actions, working alongside Quality and Food Safety teams.

• Ensure audit findings, CAPAs and customer commitments have clear ownership, deadlines and supporting evidence.

• Identify gaps in customer requirements, potential compliance risks and conflicting obligations before they become operational issues.

• Establish consistent processes for managing customer requests, escalations, documentation and response deadlines.

• Work cross-functionally to improve customer assurance processes and ensure alignment across manufacturing sites.

• Monitor recurring customer issues and recommend improvements to quality systems and internal controls.

• Provide guidance and support to team members, helping drive accountability and consistent execution.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Supply Chain or a related discipline. Equivalent industry experience will also be considered.

• 7+ years' experience within customer quality, technical services, supplier assurance, quality systems or food manufacturing.

• Experience interpreting customer technical standards, contractual requirements and codes of practice.

• Background managing customer audits, technical questionnaires, CAPA and compliance documentation.

• Good understanding of SQF, GFSI, HACCP, Preventive Controls, supplier approval and change management.

• Experience working across multiple functions, including Quality, Food Safety, Supply Chain and Operations.

• Strong project management, organisational and stakeholder management capabilities.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to manage customer-facing technical discussions.

What Success Looks Like

• Customer agreements, technical requirements and compliance obligations are accurately documented and regularly reviewed.

• Customer requests, audit findings and corrective actions are managed effectively, with clear ownership and timely completion.

• Potential customer and compliance risks are identified early and addressed before they impact the business.

• Improved customer audit performance, stronger internal controls and more efficient customer onboarding and product commercialisation.

• A consistent approach to customer assurance across the organisation.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Customer Quality, Technical Services or Quality Systems professional to take ownership of customer assurance within an established food manufacturing business.