Customer Quality Manager
The Role
We’re looking for a Customer Quality Manager to be the voice of quality for one of Synlait’s key customers. You’ll be the first point of contact for all quality matters – driving performance, solving problems, and strengthening trust. This role is about making quality a competitive advantage by
ensuring products meet the highest standards while building strong, proactive customer partnerships.
You’ll lead audits, resolve concerns, support new projects, and turn insights into actions that improve performance across the value chain. If you thrive on accountability and enjoy being where customer expectations meet operational delivery, this is your opportunity to make a real impact.
- Act as the primary point of contact for one of Synlait’s key customers on all quality-related matters.
- Manage customer audits, technical queries, and quality reviews.
- Build strong relationships with customer quality teams to anticipate needs and proactively address issues.
- Ensure products meet customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and internal standards by working closely with internal stakeholders.
- Support customer documentation needs including certificates, specifications, and traceability.
- Collaborate with Quality Operations to investigate complaints, identify root causes, and implement corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs).
- Identify quality trends, reoccurring issues, and opportunities to drive improvements, reducing complaints and enhancing product quality.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to align customer requirements with operational capabilities.
- Contribute to new product development and commercial projects to ensure quality expectations are embedded throughout.
Skills and experience
/To succeed, you’ll bring proven experience in quality management within the food or dairy manufacturing sector, alongside strong relationship management skills in customer-facing environments- 10+ years in food/dairy quality management with 5+ years in customer-facing roles.
- Deep knowledge of HACCP, GMP, FSANZ, Codex, and export requirements.
- Experience with international markets (China, USA, EU a bonus).
- Proven ability to lead audits, manage complaints, and drive CAPAs.
- Strong communicator who builds trust and influences at all levels.
- Analytical, detail-focused, and solutions-driven.
- Customer-first mindset with a passion for quality and continuous improvement.
About us – The Synlait Spirit
Synlait is more than a global leader in milk nutrition – we're a purpose-led team that’s Doing Milk Differently For A Healthier World. Our Synlait Spirit guides everything we do, from how we show up each day to the impact we create together. You’ll be joining an authentic, down-to-earth team that lives the three values that underpin the Synlait Spirit.
Be The Difference means we understand before we act – that means asking why, supporting each other to think differently, stay curious, and continuously look for smarter ways to deliver value. Whether it’s in the paddock, the plant or the boardroom, we’re driven by impact and inspired to make a meaningful difference every day.
We Move as One by working together with respect, trust and a shared commitment to doing what’s right. We collaborate across teams to deliver innovative solutions and create opportunity for those around us.
We feed the world’s most vulnerable, including newborn babies, so we have to be Right on the Mark. That means we take accountability seriously, act with courage and focus our energy on what matters most. We combine expert farming and state of the art processing to deliver high quality nutritional products to all over the world.
At Synlait you’ll be challenged and supported to grow. We know everyone brings something unique to the table so we’re an inclusive workplace, where diverse perspectives fuel innovation and success.
What we offer:
- Health insurance cover & partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts
- Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy
- B CorpTM certified
- Social Club membership opportunities
What's next? Apply now!
Include your most recent CV and cover letter summarising your abilities and what you can bring to Synlait. We wish you the best of luck in your application. We encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications regularly and may close the advertisement early.
Together we will continue to create a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.
Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
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