QUALITY DIRECTOR - AALST (BELGIUM) - PERMANENT POSITION
We are currently recruiting an accomplished Quality Director to take senior level responsibility for quality, food safety, and compliance across our €1bn+ multi-site food manufacturing operations.
This is a senior leadership position that combines strategic direction with hands-on oversight to ensure our products meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.
The role will be accountable for defining and executing the Group Quality Strategy, encompassing both Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC), while embedding a culture of continuous improvement across all sites.
Acting as the final escalation point for serious quality issues, you will lead critical incident resolution and ensure robust corrective action is in place.
In addition to managing today’s operations, the role will also look forward, ensuring quality systems and compliance frameworks are embedded into the design, build, and commissioning of new factories and capacity expansions.
You will work closely with site Quality Managers, operational leaders, and the executive team to safeguard our reputation, deliver operational excellence, and position the group for sustainable growth.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop, implement, and maintain a Group Quality Strategy that ensures compliance, consistency, and excellence across all manufacturing sites.
* Lead, mentor, and coordinate the activities of site Quality Managers, ensuring alignment with group objectives and best practices.
* Act as the final escalation point for significant quality incidents, ensuring rapid resolution and effective stakeholder communication.
* Oversee root cause analysis and ensure long-term preventive measures are implemented group-wide.
* Design and deliver long-term improvement programs to enhance QA and QC performance, efficiency, and product integrity.
* Leverage data, KPIs, and industry innovation to identify improvement opportunities and reduce non-conformances.
* Partner with Engineering, R&D, and Operations to ensure new factory builds and line expansions are designed with quality and compliance at their core.
* Lead quality system commissioning and certification processes for new sites in line with global food safety standards.
* Ensure compliance with all relevant food safety legislation and industry standards (e.g., BRCGS, IFS, ISO 22000, HACCP).
* Regularly report to the Executive Committee on quality performance, risks, and improvement priorities.
Qualifications & Experience
* Significant experience as a senior quality leader in the food manufacturing sector, preferably at group or multi-site level.
* Proven ability to manage QA & QC functions in a regulated environment.
* Strong track record in crisis management and issue resolution.
* Experience in commissioning quality systems for new manufacturing facilities.
* Degree in Food Science, Quality Management, or related discipline (advanced qualifications desirable).
* Strategic leadership with operational insight.
* Decisive under pressure with strong analytical skills.
* Excellent stakeholder management and influencing ability.
* Commitment to continuous improvement and best-in-class practices.
The Offer:
* A permanent, full-time employment contract
* A salary & benefits package commensurate with experience
Please send over your CV to tom.walker@vividresourcing.com or call me on +32 (0) 3 318 00 74. As always, we are open to recommendations, so please feel free to pass this on to other suitable candidates.