QC Manager

Role overview

Barentz is hiring a QC Manager for the Vitablend Quality team in Singapore. Vitablend, which sits within Barentz, formulates and manufactures nutritional premixes and antioxidant systems used in food, feed, and personal care products. Its manufacturing footprint spans the Netherlands, the United States, and Singapore.

The purpose of this position is to strengthen and lead quality control operations at the Singapore site. The role focuses on ensuring that raw materials, semi-finished items, and finished goods are tested, reviewed, and released promptly while staying aligned with internal standards, customer expectations, FSSC 22000 food safety requirements, and relevant regulations.

This position is central to improving QC turnaround time, release governance for raw materials and finished goods, handling deviations and out-of-specification cases, managing customer-specific release needs, and coordinating laboratory activities. Over time, the manager will help rebuild local QC capability and reduce dependence on the headquarters quality team for everyday decisions, while still using HQ as technical backup and specialist support when needed.

Key responsibilities

The role covers QC governance, laboratory oversight, issue escalation, documentation control, team leadership, and cross-functional coordination across QA, production, supply chain, customer service, NPD, and HQ Quality.

QC governance and release control

• Take ownership of the local QC function and serve as the main QC governance contact for the Singapore site.
• Supervise testing, result assessment, release readiness, and escalation to keep production moving and customer commitments on track.
• Handle standard release cases consistently and route unusual cases to the right stakeholders for review.
• Assess borderline findings, unusual results, complaint-linked checks, customer-specific conditions, and out-of-specification situations.
• Coordinate closely with QA, Production, Supply Chain, Customer Service, NPD, and HQ Quality so that priorities, release decisions, and escalation paths stay aligned.
• Maintain clear decision rules and proper records for release actions and non-routine case handling.

Food safety, FSSC 22000, and compliance

• Make sure QC work, lab practices, and release steps support the site food safety system, including FSSC 22000, HACCP or risk-based controls, GMP, hygiene, and contamination prevention.
• Strengthen food safety awareness and quality thinking within the QC team so members understand how their checks protect safe product release.
• Ensure that QC records, test results, COA-related information, and release documentation are complete, accurate, traceable, and ready for audits.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing QC evidence, closing observations, and carrying out corrective actions.
• Oversee the safe handling, storage, and disposal of samples, chemicals, and lab waste in line with company safety and hygiene rules.

Laboratory operations and testing coordination

• Manage daily QC lab activities, including sample movement, test prioritisation, coordination with external labs, and follow-up on results.
• Track QC turnaround time and identify process blocks that delay raw material or finished goods release.
• Help improve physical inspection checks, sieve checks, powder mixing and dissolution checks, solubility and appearance checks, black particle checks, and comparison-based investigations.
• Ensure lab equipment, consumables, calibration, and housekeeping are maintained properly.
• Support future in-house testing plans, including restarting HPLC testing and assessing additional tests to internalise, such as nucleotide testing where technically validated and approved, to improve turnaround time, control results, and reduce testing cost.

Deviations, OOS cases, and investigations

• Lead or support investigations linked to QC issues, deviations, abnormalities, and out-of-specification results.
• Ensure proper containment, escalation, documentation, and follow-up for non-routine quality events.
• Contribute to problem-solving for production issues, customer complaints, and product release concerns.
• Partner with QA and HQ Quality on OOS review, technical evaluation, and final disposition when needed.

Documentation and knowledge management

• Create and maintain a structured QC knowledge base for the Singapore site.
• Capture customer-specific release rules, product handling expectations, historical practices, borderline result handling, and communication guidelines.
• Reduce dependence on individuals by centralising and standardising QC knowledge.
• Review and improve SOPs, work instructions, checklists, and release practices.

People leadership and team development

• Lead, coach, and develop the local QC team, including QC Executive, QC Technician(s), Chemist, and interns where applicable.
• Build a stable, supportive, and accountable working environment with clear ownership and handover practices.
• Set priorities, monitor workload, and support onboarding and training for new QC team members.
• Work with HR and the Plant Director on team growth, retention, and future QC organisation design.

Candidate profile

The company is looking for someone with a degree or diploma in Chemistry, Food Science, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Science, or a related scientific field. A background of 5 to 8 years in QC or laboratory work is needed, ideally in food ingredients, premix, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or a similar manufacturing environment. Previous experience as a QC lead, lab supervisor, or QC manager is preferred.

Exposure to FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP, GMP, food safety, hygiene, and audit processes is highly desirable. The position also calls for a solid grasp of raw material and finished goods release, laboratory testing, COA review, deviations, and OOS handling. Experience with HPLC or analytical testing is an advantage, and familiarity with external laboratories, customer-specific requirements, and food safety or quality systems is preferred.

Strong English communication skills, both spoken and written, are required. The successful candidate should be comfortable working across QA, Production, Supply Chain, Customer Service, NPD, and HQ Quality. Good judgement, attention to detail, ownership, and problem-solving ability are essential, along with the ability to introduce structure, improve workflows, and stabilise a growing QC function.

Eligibility

Applicants must already be eligible to work in Singapore, as sponsorship is not available for this role.

Additional information

This is a full-time onsite position in Singapore.