Supplier Quality Assurance Specialist

General Responsibilities

SQA Technologist supports the development and implementation of supplier quality programs and plays a key role to ensure food safety and quality of our ingredient and packaging supply base in India cluster and supports such program for other Bus as and when needed.

Principal Accountabilities

• Drive implementation of Mars Sourcing Standard Programs and ensure its consistent deployment.

• Assures quality and consistency of ingredients and packaging materials supply within the region for Mars Snacking India Sites.

• Works in partnership with Sourcing and Site teams to identify and execute inbound material cost, quality, food safety and efficiency improvement projects.

• Manages inbound supply risks related to material quality, food/product safety and regulatory compliance.

• Performs supplier site audits and ensures completion of identified corrective actions.

• Build suppliers’ quality awareness, capability and continuous improvements on facilities, process and people competency, through on-site visits, training & regular communication.

• Communicate effectively with multiple internal customers, specifically in Commercial, R&D & Supply

• Conduct category-based supplier metrics management & performance reviews.

• Supports activities on commercial and other emerging needs for India business in line with Sourcing standard requirements.    

Report, Communicate & Document control:

• Periodic SQA Metrics Report as per SQA process guidelines including local, regional & global metrics.

• Maintain updated documents for all suppliers including suppliers’ audits, CAPA, suppliers’ approvals and performance and any such requirement which ensures their initial as well as ongoing qualification.

• Ensure full control of SQA related documents as required by Mars Sourcing Standard program for Various Internal and external audit at Mars BU or MU level.

•  Ensure having the recent updates of the specifications and material risk assessment documents to be shared with the suppliers taking SQA process and the Mars confidentiality guidelines into account.

• Deployment ownership and frequent reporting of the sourcing standard (MQM & PQM) progress.

• Representing various categories of material on the regional and/ or global community team.

Communication and Work Relationships

Internal:

Continuously with local and regional SQA teams.

• Periodically and if needed with other regions SQA teams.

• Periodically and if needed with the global SQA category lead.

• Daily, periodic, quarterly communication with QFS & R&D Functions

• Daily, periodic, quarterly communication with the commercial buying teams.

• Daily, periodic, quarterly communication with the supply chain and inbound logistics teams.

• Periodically communication with the Operations, Engineering, People and Organization (P&O)

External:

• Daily, quarterly, or on need basis communication with local Suppliers.

• Daily, quarterly, or on need basis communication with overseas origin suppliers & traders.

Qualifications and Experience:

• This position requires a Bachelor or above degree in Food Science, Packaging Technology, Microbiology, Dairy Science or equivalent

• Candidate should have minimum 6 to 8 years of experience in a technical area such as R&D, product development, quality systems, auditing, food safety, laboratory management, manufacturing, or engineering (at least 2-3 years of experience with direct supplier chain quality management is preferred).

• Advanced level of knowledge and understanding on food safety management systems (FSSC22000, ISO22000, HACCP, ISO9001, BRC, Codex etc.)

• Skills: Auditing skills, Data Analysis & Interpretation, Active Listening & communication skills, Priority setting and planning skills

• Strong experience of food safety auditing, preferred with ISO22000 Lead Auditor Certificate.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Work remotely – extensive travel (up to 40-50% of time) at supplier as well as Mars sites

• Primarily working on own as a responsible Mars associate

• Act as a bridge for business and technical requirements.

• Managing complexity of supplying aspects (Solo suppliers, local and governmental owned suppliers, etc).

Level of Role:- Individual Contributor

Critical MLC :-

• Delivers Consistent Results

• Creates Collaborative Relationships

MLCs :-

• Results & Continuous Improvement

• Collaboration & Influence

• Planning & Execution

• Business & Customer Focus

Functional :-

• Supplier quality management

• Analytical capability

• Risk and opportunity identification

• Risk and opportunity management

• Performance evaluation and continuous improvement

• Internal and external networks

• Capturing and leveraging knowledge