Group Quality Assurance Manager - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Almarai, the largest vertically integrated dairy and food company in the Middle East, is seeking a Group Quality Assurance Manager to join its leadership team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This senior-level position plays a critical role in safeguarding the company's reputation for excellence by overseeing quality assurance strategies across all manufacturing facilities and supply chain operations. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving quality management systems that ensure compliance with international food safety standards, regulatory requirements, and Almarai's own rigorous internal benchmarks.

As Group Quality Assurance Manager, you will lead a multidisciplinary team of quality professionals stationed across multiple production sites. Your primary mission involves establishing unified quality protocols that maintain consistency in product safety, taste, texture, and nutritional value from raw material sourcing through to final distribution. You will serve as the principal liaison between Almarai's quality division and external regulatory bodies, certification agencies, and third-party auditors, ensuring that all facilities maintain their accreditations without interruption.

A significant component of this role centers on risk management and crisis prevention. You will design and execute comprehensive hazard analysis programs, including HACCP plans, allergen management protocols, and foreign body prevention strategies. When quality incidents occur, you will lead root cause investigations, implement corrective actions, and communicate findings to senior leadership with transparency and urgency. Your ability to balance proactive prevention with rapid response will directly impact consumer trust and brand integrity.

The position demands strong analytical capabilities and data-driven decision-making. You will oversee the collection and interpretation of quality metrics, trend analysis, and customer complaint data to identify systemic issues before they escalate. By leveraging statistical process control methodologies and Six Sigma principles, you will drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce waste, optimize production efficiency, and enhance product consistency across Almarai's diverse portfolio of dairy, bakery, poultry, and infant nutrition products.

Collaboration with cross-functional departments is essential to success in this role. You will work closely with Research and Development teams to evaluate new product formulations for quality feasibility, with Procurement to establish supplier quality standards, and with Operations to ensure that production schedules do not compromise safety protocols. Your influence will extend to training and development programs that cultivate a culture of quality awareness among all employees, from factory floor workers to executive management.

Almarai operates in a highly regulated environment where compliance with Saudi Food and Drug Authority regulations, GCC standards, and international certifications such as ISO 22000, BRC, and FSSC 22000 is non-negotiable. The Group Quality Assurance Manager must stay current with evolving food safety legislation, emerging contamination risks, and technological advancements in quality testing methodologies. You will represent Almarai at industry conferences and regulatory forums, contributing to the development of regional food safety standards.

This opportunity offers the chance to shape quality strategy for a company that serves millions of consumers daily across the Gulf Cooperation Council and beyond. Almarai's commitment to quality is embedded in its corporate identity, and the Group Quality Assurance Manager serves as the guardian of that promise. If you possess the technical expertise, leadership acumen, and passion for food safety that this role demands, we encourage you to submit your application to [email protected]. Join a team where your work directly impacts the health and satisfaction of an entire region.