Quality Assurance Officer

Open Country Dairy Group is New Zealand's largest independent dairy manufacturer, producing high‑quality dairy ingredients and consumer products for customers around the world. With manufacturing, logistics, and farming operations across New Zealand, we are committed to excellence, innovation, sustainability, and the development of our people. We provide rewarding career opportunities in a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment where employees can grow and make a meaningful contribution. About The Job Are you a detail‑focused Quality Assurance professional who is determined to get the job done well and on time? We’re looking for a collaborative and proactive Quality Assurance Officer to help ensure our quality systems, product release processes and compliance activities run smoothly. This is a Monday to Friday position offering variety, responsibility and the opportunity to make a real impact on quality and compliance outcomes at site level. You’ll be part of a team that values accuracy, continuous improvement and getting things done the right way. Reporting to the Waikato Quality and Compliance Manager, you’ll play a key role in supporting quality assurance, food safety, compliance and continuous improvement across the Waharoa site. This is a hands‑on role where accuracy, prioritisation and strong communication matter. You’ll work closely with operations, plant teams, laboratory contacts, MPI and internal stakeholders to support product release, audits, non‑conformance processes and quality system requirements. What You’ll Be Doing Supporting and maintaining compliant quality management systems. Coordinating GMP audits, verification activities and site quality processes. Assisting with product grading, sales order release, customer samples and external laboratory testing requirements. Supporting investigations, non‑conformance records, customer complaints and audit actions through to timely completion.Working with plant teams to support robust in‑process calibration and product quality outcomes. Maintaining strong working relationships with internal teams, laboratory contacts, recognised persons and MPI Contributing to continuous improvement initiatives across the site. About You You’ll be someone who takes pride in doing things properly, is organised, accurate and able to manage competing priorities without losing sight of the detail. You’ll be determined to get the job done well and within the required timeframe, while keeping others informed and working collaboratively to achieve the right outcome. To succeed in this role, you’ll bring: Experience in Quality Assurance, ideally within dairy, food processing or a regulated environment. A strong understanding of food safety, quality systems and compliance requirements. Excellent attention to detail and confidence working with data, records and systems. Good computer literacy, including Microsoft Office and ideally ERP system experience. Sound communication skills and the ability to build effective working relationships across different teams. A proactive, solutions‑focused approach and the confidence to identify issues, follow procedures and suggest improvements. An understanding of sampling, testing processes and lab results would be an advantage. Only applicants with NZ Working Rights will be considered. #J-18808-Ljbffr