Quality Assurance Manager, Produce & Fresh
Summary
Owns end-to-end product quality for Zapp's Produce and Fresh categories, from supplier sites and markets through the DC to every fulfilment centre — inspecting stock on the ground, setting supplier specifications, and investigating quality complaints and waste at root cause. This is a food/FMCG quality role, not a software QA job.
Quality Assurance Manager, Produce & Fresh
Location: Nine Elms, London | Full-time
About Zapp
Zapp is London's leading premium convenience retail platform. Founded in 2020, our vision is to disrupt the multi-trillion dollar convenience retail market, currently dominated by major players, by developing best-in-class customer-centric technology and fulfilment solutions. Zapp partners with some of the world's leading brands to deliver an exclusive range of hand-picked products 24/7, delivered in minutes.
The Role
We are looking for a Quality Assurance Manager to own quality across Zapp's Produce and Fresh categories, from the supplier and market floor through our DC and into every fulfilment centre. You will be the person suppliers, FC teams and category managers turn to when quality is the question, setting the standard for what 'the best produce in London' actually means and holding the whole chain to it.
This isn't a desk-based quality role. You will be out in FCs and at the DC checking product on the ground, and out at supplier sites and markets building the relationships that let you catch a quality issue before it reaches a customer, not after.
Here's What You'd Be Doing
Own quality standards for Produce and Fresh end to end: define what 'best in London' looks like for each product, and make sure every stage of the chain is held to it.
Get out to FCs and the DC regularly to check produce on the ground, spot emerging issues early, and coach site teams on handling, rotation and presentation standards.
Build and manage quality relationships with suppliers, setting clear specifications and holding them accountable when produce falls short.
Visit supplier sites and markets to see produce at source, building the relationships and first-hand knowledge that let you back the best quality before anyone else does.
Investigate quality complaints and waste at root cause, working back through the chain from FC to DC to supplier until you find what actually needs to change.
Partner with Category Management and Supply Chain so quality standards shape what we buy and how it's forecast, not just how it's checked on arrival.
Stay customer obsessed in everything you do: every inspection, spec and supplier conversation should trace back to a customer opening a pack of fruit or veg and finding exactly what they expected.
What We're Looking For
Experience in quality assurance, quality control or technical/produce buying, ideally in fresh produce, grocery or FMCG.
Comfortable spending real time on the ground: in FCs, at the DC and at supplier sites, not just reviewing reports.
A track record of managing supplier quality relationships, from setting specifications to holding suppliers to them.
Strong analytical skills: confident using data to spot where quality issues are coming from and to prove a fix has worked.
A genuine curiosity about produce and food quality, with the palate and eye to tell the difference between good and the best.
A tenacious communicator who gets things done with suppliers, FC teams and stakeholders alike.
Benefits
Competitive salary
Enjoy 25 days of holiday per year (plus all bank holidays).
Private Health Insurance.
Zapp Credit for testing the Zapp service and experience
Lunch provided 4 days of a week at HQ
Extended sick pay and maternity/paternity leave pay.
Cycle to work scheme.