Senior Food Auditor

Company Description

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. SGS operates a network of over 2,000 offices and laboratories around the world. SGS Knowledge NZ conducts a range of ethical / social compliance audits as a recognised audit agency for range of global and customer-specific supply chain supplier audit programmes.

**Job Description**:
With the on-going development of our business we are looking for an additional Senior Food Auditor to joint our Health & Nutrition Audit Team. SGS have Offices throughout NZ and the base location for this role is negotiable.

This is a senior full-time position for an experienced and qualified Senior Food Lead Auditor and the applicant must have prior third-party Certification Agency audit experience across a number of food programmes - in particular hold Lead Auditor approval across a range of industry codes in BRCGS, SQF and other Food Audit Programs. Preference will be given to applicants who also have experience in other areas of food auditing, including GSF, FSSC / ISO 22000, WESP, HACCP and MPI Programs).

As a Lead Auditor in the Health & Nutrition business of SGS Knowledge NZ, you will be responsible for planning and performing supply chain and third-party Certification audits in accordance with SGS policies, procedures and undertake an assessment the requirements of standards and food industry programs.

The key roles and responsibilities of this position include:

- Maintaining your qualifications and recognition as a Food Auditor in multiple food industry audit standards and programmes and be able to conduct a range of food industry program audits across a wide range of industry sector codes.
- Undertake audits / assessments in accordance with SGS accreditation policies, procedures and management systems and/or legislative requirements.
- Collate audit / assessment findings, prepare reports and communicate findings to Auditees to ensure understanding of the requirements and area(s) that need to be addressed.
- Provide an assessment decision and clearly communicate corrective action requirements, where appropriate, including recommending the issue, re-issue or withdrawal of certificates, and report recommendations in accordance with SGS policy, procedures and prescribed time frame.
- Lead assessment teams, as required, ensuring that team members are adequately briefed so that audit / assessment outcomes are achieved and quality of service is maintained and that effective working relationships are sustained both with Clients and within the team.
- Provide accurate and prompt information to the Delivery Support Team, working closely with them to ensure that client records are up to date and complete and that all other internal information requirements are met.
- Plan and schedule your audit / assessment workload to make best utilisation of your own time and maximise revenue-earning activity, performing the duties described above, to ensure that such duties are performed in an efficient and commercially expedient way
- Assist in the training of other auditors and lead auditors during planned training or observation audits or during other training functions and actively in witness audits by SGS or accreditation bodies.
- Maintain and continue to develop audit assessment skills and technical and management system standards knowledge.
- Act as a brand Ambassador for SGS. This means acting ethically, with complete integrity and observing company rules, policies and protocols.

**Qualifications**:

- Lead Auditor experience auditing for a Certification Body and qualified across a wide range and number of food industry sector NACE codes and/or SGS Technical Area Qualification (TAQ) Codes,
- Recognition as Lead Auditor in a number of food industry programs, including, as appropriate BRCGS, SQF, GSFI, FSSC 22000, BRC, WSEP, HACCP, MPI
- The auditor recognitions and audit experience must be as a Lead Auditor with a Certification Agency, with evidence of these recognitions able to be provided.
- Lead Auditor qualifications and experience in ISO standards (e.g ISO 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 22000, ISO 13485) would be advantageous
- The Applicant will need to have successfully completed an IRCA, Exemplar Global or equivalent recognised Lead Auditor Course and have a current certificate of this training.
- A postgraduate qualification in a relevant field or discipline would be advantageous but is not essential.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal are required
- Intermediate to advanced level Microsoft Word and Excel skills are necessary
- Proven communication and negotiation skills are essential

Additional Information

The Applicant must have NZ residency status or a current and valid visa to work in New Zealand (NZ).

This role involves extensive travel to Client sites throughout NZ and on occasion to Australia and the Pacific Islands, so