Zimkhitha Gqwede
Freshmark (Climor DC)
Cape Town
1
Certification
10
years of professional experience
Dedicated and results-driven Quality Control Manager with expertise in food safety, HACCP, quality assurance, supplier compliance, auditing, and team leadership. Experienced in managing quality systems, leading inspections, driving corrective actions, and ensuring compliance with food safety and quality standards. Strong commitment to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction.
Work History
Quality Control Manager
3 Years 1 Month- Managing the Quality Control team, including delegation of duties and performance of daily QC activities.
- Ensuring all products are inspected at receiving, during storage, production, and dispatch according to Freshmark specifications and quality standards.
- Implementing and enforcing all Quality Control and Food Safety policies, procedures, and standards.
- Conducting product monitoring, inspections, quality assessments, and investigations into quality issues to ensure compliance with standards.
- Training, mentoring, and developing QC Assistants and newly appointed QC staff.
- Ensure QC equipment is calibrated, verified and maintained.
- Monitoring, recording, and reporting waste, product losses, and non-conformances.
- Compiling and maintaining QC records, reports, and administrative documentation.
- Liaise with the QA Department, suppliers, laboratories and managers regarding quality matters.
- Ensure effective communication between all QC staff to maintain consistency and compliance.
- Provide input on QC budgets and associated costs.
- Attend management meetings and provide quality-related feedback and recommendations.
- Investigate store complaints and quality claims.
- Conduct store visits to investigate major quality concerns and provide feedback to management.
- Food Safety Team Leader and HACCP Team Leader.
- Conducting internal food safety audits together with the Operations Manager.
- Investigate root cause of non-conformances, action corrective actions and ensure all non – conformances are closed off.
- Implement Food Safety policies and procedures in the DC.
Quality Control Assistant
2 Years 7 Months- Inspected inbounds and outbound products to ensure compliance with product specifications and quality standards.
- Accept or reject incoming and outgoing consignments in line with product specification and quality standards.
- Product inspection focusing on quality, labeling and packaging.
- Monitored safety and hygiene practices in the distribution center to maintain a clean and safe working environment.
- Conducted weekly shelf-life evaluations to ensure product specification compliance.
- Monitoring stock rotation, applying FIFO rule.
- Captured reports on the system to maintain accurate record keeping.
- Handled customer complaints effectively to ensure timely resolution and maintain positive customer relations.
Graduate Intern
1 Year 10 Months- Conducting and facilitating training to project beneficiaries.
- Conducting site visits to projects for assessment of project performance and giving input to farmers regarding food security.
- Planning and conducting farmers' information and field days.
- Project administration, evaluation and monitoring.
- Oversaw daily office operations, ensuring smooth workflow and efficient communication.
- Field activities on large and small stock such as feeding sheep and cows, vaccinating, dosing, shearing, assisting with lambing and calving season, milking, cleaning calf sheds, observation of cows to be mated.
Brand Ambassador
4 Months- Educated customers on new brand products to enhance brand awareness.
- Promote products for clients.
- Attended lectures on marketing strategies and sales techniques.
- Conducted research on marketing strategies and completed related assignments.
Intern
10 Months- Harvested, packed, and stored table grapes for optimal quality and client satisfaction.
- Performed pruning, suckering, and thinning of grapevines to promote healthy growth.
- Conducted irrigation, weeding, and pest control activities to maintain crop health.
- Data analyzing and capturing.
Education
National Diploma - Agriculture
National Senior Certificate (NSC) - Admission to Bachelor's degree
Skills
Data Analysis
Attention to detail.
Continuous improvement.
Microsoft Office skills
Problem solving
Analytical thinking.
Time management.
Works under pressure.
Leadership skills
Communication skills
Integrity and accountability.
Certification
- HACCP and PRP
- Internal Auditing
- IR (basic and advanced)
- Post Harvest
- Empower Leadership Development
Languages
English
C2
Bilingual or Proficient
Xhosa
C2
Bilingual or Proficient
Timeline
Quality Control Manager
Freshmark (Climor DC)
06.2023 - CurrentRead More
Quality Control Assistant
Freshmark
06.2020 - 01.2023Read More
Graduate Intern
Western Cape Department of Agriculture
08.2018 - 06.2020Read More
Brand Ambassador
The Creative Counsel
03.2018 - 07.2018Read More
Intern
St Pieter's Rosche
01.2017 - 11.2017Read More
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
National Diploma from Agriculture
Read More
Mount Arthur Girls High
National Senior Certificate (NSC) from Admission to Bachelor's degree
Read More