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Quality Lead, Eltham

General Information

Date Published
08-Apr-2026
Advertising Ends
21-Apr-2026
ID#
14486
Role Type
Quality & Safety
Work Type
Permanent Full-Time
Workplace Type
On-site
Country
New Zealand
Location
Taranaki

Position Description

About Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Mainland Dairy, the business formerly known as Fonterra’s global Consumer and associated businesses, is now part of the Lactalis Group and known as Lactalis-Mainland Dairy. 

Lactalis is a French family-owned business founded in Laval in 1933. Today, it is the world’s leading dairy group, present in 50 countries employing around 85,500 people. It is home to some of the world’s best known global and international dairy brands, including Président, Galbani and Parmalat.

Lactalis-Mainland Dairy is a team of more than 4,300 employees, operating 16 manufacturing sites across Oceania, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. We make well-loved brands including Anchor, Fresh ‘n’ Fruity and Mainland in New Zealand.

Our passionate and talented team is committed to nurturing the future, unlocking new opportunities, and fostering innovation in nutrition and food.

About the Opportunity 
We are looking for a motivated and experienced Quality Lead to join our Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) team at our Eltham Bridge Street site in a permanent role. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for maintaining and continuously improving quality assurance standards across our products and processes.

Reporting to the Food Safety & Quality Manager, you’ll collaborate closely with key stakeholders to drive a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on operational excellence and regulatory compliance. In addition to this you will:

  • Develop, implement, and maintain robust quality assurance systems and processes across the business unit
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure quality control measures align with Fonterra’s strategic objectives
  • Monitor performance metrics, identify areas for improvement, and implement corrective actions
  • Lead quality audits to ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulatory standards
  • Champion quality awareness and foster a culture of excellence within the team and across the Co-op
  • Provide technical expertise and support to project teams, ensuring quality is embedded into new initiatives.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact on food safety and quality at our Eltham Bridge Street site. You'll work with a range of stakeholders across the business and be part of a supportive, passionate FSQ community within Fonterra - where continuous learning and career development are genuinely valued.

About You 
We are looking for an analytical and results driven individual who has a passion for quality and safety compliance. To be successful in this role you will bring:

  • Proven experience in quality assurance or quality control within a manufacturing environment - ideally in the dairy or FMCG industry
  • Strong leadership capabilities, with a demonstrated ability to influence and engage others in quality-focused initiatives
  • In-depth knowledge of quality management systems, including HACCP, GMP, and other relevant standards
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
  • A proactive mindset, with strong problem-solving skills and a continuous improvement focus
  • Tertiary qualifications in food science, quality management, or a related field (desirable).
   
For more details, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the supporting Talent Acquisition Partner- lorna.denton@nz.mainlanddairy.com  

Applications close at midnight on Tuesday 21st April 

Be Part of Dairy’s Future 
Great people continue to power this business forward. Our people thrive within a positive working environment, a collaborative and caring culture and leadership that continues to inspire. 

Located on Bridge Street in Eltham, South Taranaki, this site has been operating since 1919 and is one of New Zealand’s oldest cheese producers. Using locally sourced milk, the site annually produces approximately 2,500 metric tonnes of award-winning speciality cheeses for domestic and international markets under well-known brands including Mainland and Kāpiti.

This role offers excellent career development and internal mobility pathways as well as shift patterns that offer excellent work life balance.  

We believe in you bringing your best and most authentic self to work and we want you to succeed in a way that allows you to win, in every aspect of your life. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations people, as well as individuals of diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Our team is dedicated to supporting your professional development and personal wellbeing.  
We look forward to the possibility of you joining our inclusive team. 

Let’s make this your best move yet. Apply now! 

Please note that applicants must have full working rights for New Zealand to be considered.

We are politely declining recruitment agency support and approaches for this role. 


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