Role Overview:

The National Quality Head at Coca-Cola is a leadership role responsible for defining and executing the quality and food safety (QFS) strategy across a bottling system to protect the brand, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive continuous improvement.

To support all company owned manufacturing plants & co-packs to ensure:

- consistent product and package quality thereby delivering superior beverage experience to the consumers

- Achievement of variable and fixed cost targets as per BP

- Drive strongly all projects (Waste elimination, process improvement, Quality Improvement)

Key Responsibilities:

- Compliance & Governance: Ensure adherence to The Coca-Cola Company's internal standards (KORE - Coca-Cola Operating Requirements) as well as all applicable national and local regulations (e.g., FSSAI, ISO standards like ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, HACCP).

- In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with food safety regulations, quality systems, and global compliance standards

- Risk Management: Oversee the system's preparedness for emerging QFS risks, conduct risk assessments, lead incident management and crisis response (IMCRs), and ensure effective root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions (CAPA).

- Operations Support: Provide technical expertise and guidance to bottling plants and co-packers, including support for new product introductions, process validations, shelf-life studies, and troubleshooting manufacturing issues.

- Auditing & Monitoring: Plan and conduct regular internal and external audits/assessments of plants, warehouses, and the marketplace to evaluate program effectiveness and ensure consistent adherence to standards.

- Performance & Metrics: Monitor, analyze, and report on key QFS performance metrics (KPIs), using data analysis to identify trends, drive improvement initiatives, and provide insights to senior management.

- Capability Development: Identify training needs and lead the development and onboarding of QFS teams and personnel across the bottling system to build functional expertise.

- Extensive aseptic processing experience - dairy & juice preferred

- Water treatment and syrup processing experience

- Proven track record of managing large-scale quality programs across multiple regions and facilities

- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.

- Strong team building and mentorship skills to inspire high-performing talent.

- Executive presence with a collaborative and strategic mindset.

- Proficiency in process improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Total Quality Management (TQM).

- Advanced analytical skills with experience in data systems automation and quality performance reporting.

Achieve Quality Indices:

- Develop and Drive matrices to achieve consistent Product and package quality both in plant and marketplace

- Eliminate / Reduce the CRC complaints to achieve Highest consumer perceived quality.

- System Implementation and Audits

- Support Plants to implement all QMS (KORE, HACCP, EOSH) and ensure No critical / High risks in External audits

- Support units to close all Devotions and get line approvals

Manufacturing Costs:

- Develop benchmarking system to identify opportunities

- Review with regions/units on cost & efficiency targets of consumables / yields

- Develop standard monitoring template for all consumables

- RM/PM inventory control to minimize write-offs

- New process developments to reduce operating costs.

- Process standardization across all units to optimize consumable and RMPM cost.

Capability Developments:

- Reviewing training plans of units and ensure proper and timely training on new process.

- Support Units to achieve operational excellence by providing training / communicating best practices.

- Ensure asset care systems are implemented in the plants

- Support units / regions in new plant start ups

- Support Units / regions in new product / package launch

- Develop regional capabilities by creating SMEs in each process regions/units

Co-pack management:

- Define framework for copack management on commercial and operational issues

- Resolution of all technical issues along with region teams

- Visit / audits copacks to ensure effective implementation of Standard systems as per company norms.

Role Qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in food science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Food Engineering, or a related field required.

- Minimum of 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in Quality Assurance, preferably within the food/beverage manufacturing industry.