POSITION PROFILE: QUALITY MANAGER & PACKING DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (MANUFACTURING)
Department: Development & Packing
Location: Based in South Africa , Gauteng
Reports To: SSA Development & Packing Manager
Employment Type: Full-time, permanent
1. Purpose of the Role
The Quality Manager owns the quality performance, product safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance across assigned external manufacturing partners (toll manufacturers, co-packers, and subcontractors). Acting as the critical link between L'Oréal’s Global/Regional Quality functions and external production sites, this role ensures that every batch and lot released to the market strictly adheres to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP / ISO 22716), regulatory standards, and L'Oréal's global quality specifications. Manage all the launch and renovation activities of the SSA Zone.
Reporting: Reports Directly to the SSA Deputy Manufacturing Director, and Functionally to the Zone Quality Director SSA and Packaging & Development Manager
Presence : Based at the PPMM factory in Midrand, Occasional visit at L’oreal Operations offices in Woodmead .
2. Key Job Accountabilities
- Manufacturing Quality Governance: Define, formalize, and deploy L'Oréal quality standards, technical specifications, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) across the subcontractor network. Maintain and monitor robust Quality Charter & Quality Agreements application.
- Bluebook creation: Create and add all technical documentation required for production to the "bluebook," and keep this documentation up to date for PPMM for each SKU
- Supplier Qualification & Oversight: Qualify & support Packaging suppliers through quality audits, technical assessments, and capability reviews prior and after onboarding. Conduct scheduled and for-cause audits (ISO 22716) and track findings to closure.
- NPI (New Product Launches) role:
- Working in coordination with Marketing teams, formulation laboratories, Packaging teams, Purchasing, Plants, and various other stakeholders, engaging them to ensure the project feasability
- Managing Launches of new products: identify the packaging opportunities that meet the DMI brief and guarantee homologation according to the L’Oréal Standards.
- Coordination with R&I on formula composition development, scale up process and compatibility testing.
- Building PVIS estimates from brief to final production
- Tools (Magellan, Spot) and Master data (Minds, BOM, specs, SOC) management
- Participation in the sustainable L4TF program to meet the Zone and the L’Oréal Group targets
- Leading additional cross-functional projects (value analysis, optimization of operational processes, and the graphic chain, etc.).
- Launches participation & role in term of homologation coordination of pilot, compatibility, BOM, PVIS calculation, timeline
- Production, Process & NPI Control: Oversee PPMM manufacturing and co-packing operations to ensure strict adherence to validated process parameters, formulation requirements, packaging specifications, and New Product Launches (NPI panoply of defects validation, first production sign-offs).
- Quality Control & Batch Release: Monitor subcontractor quality control testing (Raw Materials, Packaging/Articles of Conditioning, Finished Goods). Review and approve/reject batch documentation, Certificates of Analysis (CoA), and release in SYSPRO records prior to shipment to the L’Oreal Distribution Centre (DC).
- Non-Conformance, CAPA & Risk Management: Manage quality deviations, and non-conformances. Review Sub-contractor root-cause and identify/mitigate supply chain risks
- Regulatory Compliance & Consumer Safety: Ensure all L’Oreal manufactured products at PPMM comply with applicable local cosmetics regulations and international frameworks. Support and manage product recall simulations, recalls if required[MD1.1].
- Visit & Audit: Participate in regular on-site visits and organize audits in accordance with the Group’s subcontractor management procedure
- Continuous Improvement & Performance Reporting: Analyze quality dashboards and KPIs (Right First Time, customer complaints, audit completion rates). Support /or facilitate drive continuous improvement projects at the Sub-contractor site.
- KPI report : monthly global performance KPI + report KPI for GRAAL
- Report and share all high-risk situations to the Nairobi plant
3. Professional & Technical Competencies
- Controls Risks & Operates Responsibly: Strictly complies with local regulations, L’Oréal manufacturing rules, GMP guidelines. Guarantees product safety, quality, and integrity with rigor and independence of judgment.
- Consumer & Business-Oriented: Maintains a strong product and consumer focus (safety standards) while acting with economic consciousness regarding non-quality costs and Sub-contractor performance.
- Nurtures the Pioneering Spirit: Develops innovative and efficient manufacturing processes, organizations, and quality methods to elevate subcontractor standards to internal plant benchmarks.
- Operational Excellence & Agility ("Make It Happen"): Applies quality tools, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and operational best practices to drive continuous improvement on external production lines.
4. L’Oréal Core Competencies
- Acts / leads with human sensitivity.
- Displays deep sensitivity to our métier (manufacturing and quality craft).
- Demonstrates entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Achieves results with integrity.
- Manage complexity (multi-site, matrixed structure, and external partner dynamics).
- Interacts effectively (influencing external partners and Contract Manufacturing managers / stakeholders without direct authority).
- Demonstrate a strong analytical and practical mindset rigorous, results-oriented, and possess excellent technical problem-solving skills.
- Lead with proactivity, curiosity for industrial innovation, and ability to work in a team within a production environment.
5. Must-Haves (Prerequisites & Qualifications)
- Education: Minimum bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Pharmacy, Microbiology, or a related scientific field. (A postgraduate qualification in Quality Management is an advantage).
- Experience: Minimum 5-7 years of experience in quality assurance / quality management within cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or FMCG manufacturing, including demonstrated experience managing or auditing third-party/contract manufacturers.
- Technical Expertise: Strong background in Quality Control/Assurance, processing, packaging, root-cause analysis, and CAPA processes. Working knowledge of ISO 22716 / cosmetics regulatory frameworks.
- Certifications: ISO 22716 (Cosmetics GMP) Lead Auditor or ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certification preferred.
- Leadership Development: Completion of Transition to Advanced Management (TTM) or equivalent leadership development.
6. Key Performance Indicators -Shall be Aligned to L’Oreal Reportable Quality KPIs
- Right-first time (RFT) batch release rate for contract-manufactured products.
- Number and severity of consumer/Customer complaints linked to contract manufacturing, trended over time.
- Regulatory compliance status of all locally manufactured SKUs (zero critical non-conformances).
- KPI : Batch release cycle time (lot dossier review and CoA)
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.
