Sombo Babalwa
Western Cape
Summary
Career Summary- My qualifications include a B- Tech Degree in Quality as well as N.D in Food Technology. I have also completed various Food Safety Management Systems fundamentals short courses including FSSC2200 Implementation, Root Cause Analysis, Leadership training, OHSE Representative, Accident Incident Investigation, FSSC 22000 VS TRANSITION, and Internal Audit courses. Currently, I am unemployed .I am running my own business . However, in my previous jobs I have gathered experience of +7 years in Food Safety and Quality Management Systems. My knowledge and skills in the FMCG industry have been greatly assisted by growing continuously and enabled me to gain Food Safety and Quality Assurance management experience in my field. I have contributed a lot towards Quality and operational excellence in the FMCG environment I have worked for. Precise Quality Assurance Manager proficient in all QA operations, policies and procedures. Experience hiring and developing individual team members. Committed to thoroughly assessing product quality and manufacturing processes to achieve excellent results and customer satisfaction.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
5
5
Certifications
1
1
Language
Work History
Quality Assurance Manager
Spicemecca
04.2022 - 08.2022
- Plan, Implement, improve and maintain QMS and food safety management system
- Manage QC staff : Update documents and records of food safety/ quality documents
- Enforce quality management policy and procedure : Conduct food safety meetings and Management reviews and advice where needed
- In charge of all documentation for the Food safety system and as such be the document controller
- Ensure that the HACCP Safety is established, implemented and maintained, for all existing as well as new product lines
- Manage production staff in absence of Production the Manager
- Ensure that the internal audit system is managed and implemented
- Report on any changes or areas of improvement to the other members of the HACCP team
- Ensure safe, disposal of Waste
- Ensure all non-conformances are closed at the required time and corrective action is implemented
- Ensure compliance with, all food safety regulations, allergen control, and housekeeping
- Manage pest control and arrange fumigation when required
- Oversee all products prior to dispatch to ensure they meet required specifications and customers’ requirements
- Overseeing new product development and processing
- Conduct sensory evaluation on a new product developed
- Assist in deriving a specification for a new product
- Retention sample evaluation, check the quality of all retention samples at the end of shelf life
- Conduct Product (traceability) recall exercise
- Conduct food safety meeting : Foreign object control – identify and report on potential foreign objects
- Ensure sieve integrity checks are done and that the de-boxing procedure followed correctly
- Conduct glass and hard plastic checks according to the register
- Stock rotation – ensure all raw material, work-in-process, and the final product are clearly dated and factory shelf life adhered to : Allergen control – check adherence to the allergen control system and report on any deviation : Organize all quality analyses that need to be done (Microbiology, Chemical, and Technical)
- Conduct Receiving & Quarantine inspection
- Conduct staff training and induction : Participate in 2nd and 3rd party audits as required
- Monitored staff organization and suggested improvements to daily functionality
- Developed and implemented comprehensive quality assurance plans to monitor product quality and adherence to regulatory standards
- Conducted risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential quality issues
- Investigated customer complaints and performed corrective actions to resolve quality issues
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement process and system improvements
- Performed root cause analysis to identify and resolve quality issues and defects
- Conducted process and system audits to identify areas of improvement and enforce compliance with industry standards
- Developed quality planning for multiple new product launches by verifying customer requirements and implementing in design and production
- Tracked quality issues with external customers, suppliers, and internal plant operations
- Established and tracked quality department goals and objectives
- Scheduled and chaired quality review meetings to review effectiveness of performance mitigating risk, improving throughput and achieving customer satisfaction.
- Reason for leaving: Working Condition
Risk and Compliance Manager
By Den Wag
11.2021 - 02.2022
- Management of the quality assurance system : Update documents and records of food safety/ quality documents
- Ensure staff adheres to GMP policy and all procedures in place are followed
- Enforce prerequisite programs on food safety : Update documents and quality records
- Enforce compliance on FSSC 22000 & ISO 9001:2015 : Supervise quality management staff and provide support to the team
- Drive Continues improvement on food safety : Provide training to all employees on food safety /quality matters
- Verification of all quality assurance records
- Monthly Report writing and trends analysis of QA results (including NCRs, Customer complaints, Concession, Micro, and Audit etc.) : Support Quality Control at Receiving and Dispatch department by ensuring every product that is been dispatched meets designed specification requirements and food safety regulations
- Ensure that all suppliers and ingredients meet food safety standards such as allergen and foreign bodies
- Risk assessing supplier & Raw materials (support of HACCP) : Overseeing new product development and processing
- Conduct sensory evaluation on a new product developed
- Assist in deriving a specification for a new product : Manage measurements and test finished processed products
- Conduct Sensory and shelf-life evaluation on all products (Processed Jam, Fruit berries, all fruit berry, Durban berries Sauces, and Slojo syrups) : Ensure products are developed to meet all legal requirements : Maintain supplier-approved documents and COA’s follow-up
- Correct customer’s audit findings, internal and external audit : Orientate customers to our factory
- Ensure proper implementation of food safety and QMS achieved : Investigate customer complaints and internal non-conformities
- Ensure all products comply with regulations
- Keep the track of changes related to legislation
- Enforce adherence to Good Hygiene Practices in the factory (GMP) : Enforce compliance with Allergen control
- Manage pest Control and arrange Fumigation when required
- Manage waste removal : Arrange Micro testing-sending samples away
- Ensure compliance on Cleaning in Place (CIP) : Investigate findings or problems related to pest control and, cleaning, hygiene, initiate, and implement corrective action : Verify all CCP programs (Chlorine fruit bath and UV light) : Ensure the organization complies with health and safety regulations : Conduct R&C Meetings Report
- Reason for Leaving : Got an Opportunity
Senior Compliance Officer and Training Facilitator
Lancewood Holdings, Holdings
04.2017 - 11.2021
- Effectively monitor and maintain all relevant food safety systems
- Effectively monitor and maintain all relevant quality management systems
- Review quality management policy and procedures : Enforce quality management policy (GMP) and procedure : Enforce prerequisite programs on food safety : Manage allergens through raw materials, handling and cleaning practices, and foreign objects : Update documents and records of food safety/ quality documents
- Enforce compliance on FSSC 22000 & ISO 9001:2015 : Supervise quality management staff : Facilitate training for all department employees on food safety /quality matters
- Verification of all quality assurance records
- Overseeing new product development and processing
- Assisting in conducting factory trials and sensory evaluation of the new product lines
- Assist in deriving specifications of a new product line
- Monthly Report writing and trends analysis of QA results (including NCRs, Customer complaints, maintenance Micro, Audit, Foreign, Supplier Non-conformances, etc.) : Compile Concession when required
- Conduct annual mock recall or traceability exercises and feedback on the performance : Address and investigate customer complaints : Address non-conformance internal and external
- Investigate the causes of non-conformances (internal and external) and monitor the implementation of the approved corrections and corrective actions
- Conduct Sensory and shelf-life evaluation on all products (Yogurt, Juice, Amasi, Milk, and Fresh Cream) : Supervise new raw material from Suppliers and allergen contamination : Ensure adherence to specifications, and regulation in finished products, raw materials, and packaging
- Keep the track of changes related to legislation
- Provide food safety input into factory projects and innovations : Auditing and maintaining QMS : Scheduling weekly quality meetings and maintaining minutes : Discuss/Review audit results with departmental heads where concerned
- Manage Good Hygiene Practices in the factory (GMP) : Manage waste disposal : Manage pest control : Manage Cleaning in Place (CIP) in all facilities : Verify all CCP programs (divert valve in Pasteurization process)
- Reason for Leaving : Got an Opportunity
Compliance officer
Sonnendal Dairies
04.2015 - 04.2017
- Verify all quality documents for the yogurt department (Processing, factory, change room) and holding cold rooms : To implement departmental procedures, quality standards, and FSSC 22000 requirements : To conduct Hygiene and housekeeping audits : To enforce daily compliance with all hygiene standards and Procedures (GMP) : To ensure good record-keeping and document control : To conduct monthly internal audits : To carry out random checks throughout the factory to ensure
- That Quality standards are being met
- To assist with the investigation of production-related problems, Customer complaints, non-conformance, and product recalls : To assist the production manager in formulating corrective actions : Ensure implementation and maintaining of the corrective Actions : To stop production in the event of any deviation from
- Procedures : Implement and train processes as laid out by the company’s policies and procedures
- To ensure that the process is done to expedite the downtime of The production lines
- To conduct regular checks during processing and the final product (Weight, sealing integrates, packaging, date coding, texture, taste, etc.) : Weekly verification of scales : Deep clean of the milk and yogurt production area: Ensure the production staff is using the right color code of brush ware and buckets
- Ensure cleaning of a machine before packing adhere to good manufacturing practice : Conduct inspection /Sign off first of sheet for plant release after maintenance is done
- Inform the Production supervisor if a production team member is not willing to adhere to Good Manufacture Practices and foreign object control when requested
- Reason for leaving: Promoted to Senior Compliance Officer and Training Facilitator
- Company name : Lancewood holdings
Quality Controller
Sea Harvest Seafood
07.2013 - 07.2014
- Working on Fresh Fish Production as Quality Assurance
- Inspection of defects on the final product
- Enforce Good Manufacturing Practice : Housekeeping monitoring and hygiene audits
- Conduct internal audits, External audits, and Supplier Audit : Assist with Mock Recall : Verification of product weights, packaging, and temperature
- Calibrate Scales and Thermometers’ internal : Work on the freezer department-Glaze frizzed fish, temperature Monitoring, and conducting regular checks on the packed product, Packaging, and X-ray Machine : Assist in Microbiology investigation
- Updated quality control standards, methods, and procedures to meet compliance requirements.
- Inspected inbound and outbound products for compliance with established industry standards, company policies, and procedures.
- Reviewed incoming materials against specifications.
- Performed root cause analysis on non-compliant parts.
- Rejected materials, components and finished products and documented reasons.
- Reason for Leaving : End of Contract
Education
Some College (No Degree) - N/A
Simunye High School
Delft 11.2007 - 11.2007
National Diploma Food - Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Bellville, WC 01.2012 - 04.2015
BTech - Quality Management
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Bellville, WC 01.2020 - 04.2022
Skills
Knowledge of quality systems
Staff training and development
Quality control tests
Policy reinforcement & implemention
Communication (Verbal and Writing)
Critical Thinker and Pro-active
Problem solving
Accomplishments
Qualification : Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Management
Subjects : Commercial Management
: Introduction in Quality
: Strategic Enterprise Management
Certification
ONLINE FSSC 22000 V5.1 IMPLEMENTATION
Timeline
Quality Assurance Manager
Spicemecca
04.2022 - 08.2022
Risk and Compliance Manager
By Den Wag
11.2021 - 02.2022
ONLINE FSSC 22000 V5.1 IMPLEMENTATION
01-2021
BTech - Quality Management
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
01.2020 - 04.2022
FSSC 22000 VS TRANSITION
10-2019
Accident Incident Investigation
08-2019
FSE Internal Auditing
03-2019
Senior Compliance Officer and Training Facilitator
Lancewood Holdings, Holdings
04.2017 - 11.2021
OHSE Representative
03-2017
Compliance officer
Sonnendal Dairies
04.2015 - 04.2017
Quality Controller
Sea Harvest Seafood
07.2013 - 07.2014
National Diploma Food - Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
01.2012 - 04.2015
Some College (No Degree) - N/A
Simunye High School
11.2007 - 11.2007