Royal Zeelandia Group is a global player in the bakery ingredients business, with 3,200 employees worldwide and its headquarters located in Zierikzee, The Netherlands. Founded in 1900 by the Dutch family Doeleman, Zeelandia has more than 125 years of experience, with operations in over 30 countries and sales in about 100 countries.
As a global, family owned leader in high-quality bakery ingredients, Zeelandia serves artisanal and industrial bakeries worldwide. Helping these bakeries optimise their baking processes with expertise in baking, and being innovative with flavours and textures to be on top of the latest market trends.
To strengthen the corporate QESHR organisation based in Zierikzee, we are searching for an experienced Group Quality Manager who can elevate Zeelandia’s global standards and drive excellence across multiple sites.
In this senior position, reporting to the Director QESHR, you will further shape and harmonize the global QA and QC strategy, policies, standards, and systems, and oversee the implementation in operating companies. You will act as an authority on quality and food safety, ensuring that products consistently meet the highest international standards of safety, consistency, and compliance, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
You will lead the Food Safety and the Raw Material Specification Specialists within the Group QESHR team and provide functional leadership to local QA/QC teams across Zeelandia’s global operations. You will lead the internal Food Safety Quality community, which represents the group and all international Zeelandia companies.
You coordinate the internal and external audit program, and take the lead where required, ensuring timely closure of non-conformities. In case of incidents you will act as Global Incident Manager. You will also drive quality performance through KPI monitoring, data analysis, and continuous improvement.
You will collaborate with various stakeholders in the Zeelandia Group, but most regularly with Supply Chain (Production, Procurement), R&D, and colleagues in the QESHR team to ensure quality is embedded in Group product development and the product life cycle. Furthermore you oversee global supplier approval and maintain the Group Approved Supplier List from a FSQ perspective.
Next to that, you will standardize QC practices, laboratory methods, and testing protocols across sites. Last but not least, you will monitor industry trends, certification changes, and emerging risks, to ensure the company remains ahead of market expectations.
For this position, senior experience in quality roles within the food industry, preferably in a multinational environment, is required. Having a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Quality, Microbiology, Chemistry, or similar combined with extensive knowledge of international food safety standards (HACCP, GMP, FSSC22000) makes you a relevant candidate for this role.
Experience with laboratory management and the latest analytical techniques is a plus.
Proven ability to lead audits and manage multi-site quality systems is desirable
Proven ability to lead audits and manage multi-site quality systems is desirable.
Strong communication skills in English are essential. You must be willing to travel internationally (approx. 20% of your time) and feel comfortable working in an international business environment with many stakeholders and functional disciplines at both global and local level.
We are looking for a candidate who is able to lead change, coach and co-create with teams, influence stakeholders, solve problems and take decisions based on data and insights, across cultures and functions.
Other important competencies are: strategic vision, business acumen, resilience, ability to adapt and to self-start initiatives, project management- and analytical skills, proactive attitude, and a team-oriented mindset.
This position is based in Zierikzee, and you must be entitled to work in The Netherlands and EU.
An attractive opportunity in quality management to join an internationally leading company in high-quality bakery ingredients and to play a decisive role in the strategic direction of this professional company, matching high quality and food safety ambitions.
Joining the Zeelandia team means becoming a part of a warm and supportive family organisation that has a global presence, yet a strong local impact.
Zeelandia provides attractive secondary benefits, as well as a hybrid work arrangement, offering a balance between working at the office in Zierikzee and from a home office.
Interested in this position?
