Milk Collection Center (MCC) Quality Specialist at TechnoServe

Job Summary:

The Milk Collection Quality Specialist will work under the Milk Collection Center Manager's supervision and ensure high-quality fresh milk is received from the dairy farmers and supplied to the processor.  S/he will be responsible for the quality targets of the center and will ensure that all processes are compliant with HACCP principles and guidelines.

Program/Practice/Department Overview:

TechnoServe’s Building Precision Dairy Models in Nigeria (BuPreDMiN) aims to build a precision, sustainable, and productive local dairy value chain in Nigeria within 4 years in a way that increases the incomes, resilience, and carbon footprint of dairy farmers in Nigeria.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

• Ensure that the milk received from the Mini-farms and smallholder dairy farmers meets specified milk quality standards for Danone Fan Milk processing for products such as Milk, Yoghurt, and Ice Cream.
• Monitor, document, and report compliance with GMP, SSOP, and HACCP on the milk reception floor.
• Responsible for ensuring that all quality control processes and procedures are followed at all times in receiving milk into the milk bulk tanks and releasing same for the production of good quality products by Danone Fan Milk
• appropriate optimum Cleaning In Place (CIP) procedures for equipment and lines in terms of temperature, time, flow, etc.
• Ensure that the milk collection center environment in the building is maintained, hygienic, and safe for milk processing.
• Carry out routine quality control checks and analyses on all milk supplied to confirm conformity with set standards.
• Maintain all work surfaces, equipment, trolleys, trays, test tubes, pipettes, etc. clean before and after receiving or releasing fresh milk.
• Monitor the efficiency of fridges, chillers, bulk milk tanks, etc. ensuring that they’re kept clean at all times and working optimally.
• Responsible for monitoring storage conditions of milk samples in the fridges, cold rooms, etc., and ensuring conformity with all standards and procedures.
• Monitor the loading of good quality fresh milk into delivery vehicles.
• Ensure that all staff within the milk collection center adhere to all codes of Personal hygiene.
• Carry out any other duty that the milk collection center manager may assign within the scope of work.

Basic Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as Food science and Technology, Biotechnology, or Biochemistry with a minimum of 3 years of experience working in a food processing environment.
• Alternatively, at least 1 year experience with a Master’s degree.
• Experience in maintaining food safety management systems, operating quality and food safety manuals, and relevant procedures.
• Experience engaging regulatory inspectors, and other relevant stakeholders as required.
• Experience in laboratory inventory management.

Required Languages: Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English. Fluency in English is strongly preferred as well as proficiency in either Yoruba or/and Hausa language.

Travel: 5%

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• HAACP certification is desirable
• Must have strong interpersonal skills
• Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace.
• Ability to implement and monitor all quality and food safety programs including HACCP, Good Laboratory Practices, Cleaning and Sanitation, Environmental Sampling, and Pest Control.
• Ability to train dairy farmers, other milk vendors, handlers, and relevant team members on milk quality standards.
• Proven ability to provide accurate reports and test results to appropriate team members promptly and advise on corrective actions or adjustments where required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of quality assurance initiatives to ensure that all suppliers of fresh milk meet the organization’s specifications in a consistent manner.