Group Quality and Food Safety Director

Group Quality and Food Safety DirectorLocation: Ghent, Flemish Region, Belgium (On-site)Department: OperationsPull up a chair – there’s a place for you at our table.At What’s Cooking?, we care deeply about what we make and how we make it. Quality and food safety are at the heart of everything we do — because trust, integrity, and craftsmanship are the ingredients that define us.We’re looking for a Group Quality and Food Safety Director who shares our passion for excellence and our commitment to doing things right. Someone who can set the standard for quality across our European network, inspire teams to own it, and help shape the next chapter of What’s Cooking?’s story.What will you do as a Group Quality and Food Safety Director at What’s Cooking?As our Group Quality and Food Safety Director, you will provide both strategic and operational leadership for all quality and food safety activities across the group. You’ll define and deploy systems, standards, and practices that guarantee product integrity, process reliability, and customer trust — all while fostering a strong culture of ownership and continuous improvement.You’ll lead a network of quality professionals across our production sites, collaborate with R&I, Procurement, and Operations, and represent the quality function at group executive level to ensure long-term excellence and alignment with business objectives.More specifically, you will:Define and deploy group-wide strategies for quality and food safety, aligned with our business goals and customer expectations.Harmonize systems, standards, and practices across all sites to ensure consistency, scalability, and compliance.Monitor and improve performance through group KPIs, dashboards, and structured reviews, ensuring data-driven actions at site level.Lead and coach quality and food safety managers, building a high-performing, connected team across our factories.Support new product launches, ensuring quality and food safety requirements are integrated from the earliest stages of development.Champion a culture of quality, encouraging transparency, accountability, and proactive problem-solving at every level.Advise senior leadership on risks, performance, and strategic priorities, ensuring clear and constructive communication.Own the group roadmap for Quality and Food Safety Management, linking it to the broader operational and waste-reduction agenda.Your Profile: What Do You Bring?You hold a master’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.You have 10–15 years of experience in quality leadership within a multisite or highly regulated environment — preferably food manufacturing.You have a deep understanding of food safety standards and quality systems.You’re recognized as a strategic thinker and pragmatic leader — equally comfortable defining strategy and driving on-the-ground results.You’re fluent in English (French or Dutch is a plus).You’re willing to travel regularly across our European production network.What’s in It for You?Join a company that believes food should be crafted with care — and that excellence is a team effort.Welcoming team & open culture: Work in an environment where collaboration and authenticity matter.Growth & development: Take the lead in shaping group-wide quality strategy while continuing to grow your own expertise.Attractive package: Competitive salary complemented by a complete benefits package, including:Meal vouchersGroup & Health insurancePension planCompany carRegular remote working32 days of annual leave