About the Company

Our client is a leading floriculture company involved in the growing, processing, packing, and export of high-quality flowers to international markets. The company is committed to maintaining stringent quality, phytosanitary, and export compliance standards while delivering consistent products that meet the specifications of international customers.

Job Summary

The Quality Assurance Officer will be responsible for ensuring that flowers processed through the packhouse meet the required quality, grading, phytosanitary, cold chain, and export standards. The role will monitor product quality from harvest and reception through grading, packing, cold storage, and dispatch, while ensuring compliance with customer specifications and international export requirements.

The position will also support continuous quality improvement, minimize post-harvest losses, and train packhouse teams on quality standards and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Inspection & Grading

• Inspect flower stems at reception, cold room, and packhouse stages to ensure compliance with required quality standards.
• Verify grading accuracy based on stem length, head size, stem strength, maturity, and overall presentation.
• Identify and document defects including petal damage, bruising, Botrytis, pest damage, and other quality concerns.
• Monitor adherence to customer-specific quality specifications and grading requirements.
• Conduct routine quality checks and report non-conformities for corrective action.
• Support investigations into quality complaints and recurring product defects.

Phytosanitary & Export Compliance

• Monitor flowers for pests and diseases that may affect export eligibility, including Thrips, False Codling Moth, Botrytis, and other relevant risks.
• Ensure packhouse operations comply with applicable phytosanitary requirements and export protocols.
• Support compliance with KEPHIS export requirements and destination-country regulations.
• Verify that flowers are handled, packed, labelled, and documented according to destination requirements.
• Maintain accurate QA and phytosanitary inspection records.

Cold Chain & Post-Harvest Quality

• Monitor cold chain processes from harvest through packing, cold storage, and dispatch.
• Ensure required temperatures and handling procedures are maintained throughout the process.
• Identify deviations in cold chain conditions and escalate them promptly.
• Monitor post-harvest handling practices to preserve flower quality and maximize vase life.
• Support initiatives aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and maintaining product freshness.

Export Documentation & Quality Audits

• Review packing sheets, grading records, labels, and related export documentation for accuracy and compliance.
• Verify customer and destination-specific requirements before dispatch.
• Participate in internal quality audits and corrective action processes.
• Maintain proper documentation of inspections, quality deviations, corrective actions, and customer specifications.
• Support preparation for external audits and certification inspections.

Training & Continuous Improvement

• Train packhouse grading and handling teams on quality standards and customer specifications.
• Provide feedback to production and packhouse teams on recurring quality issues.
• Promote continuous improvement in grading, handling, packing, and post-harvest processes.
• Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor quality trends and provide recommendations to improve product consistency and reduce losses.

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma or Degree in Horticulture, Food Science, Agriculture, or a related field.
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant Quality Assurance experience strictly within a flower packhouse, preferably roses or summer flowers.
• Strong practical knowledge of flower grading, packhouse operations, and post-harvest handling.
• Good understanding of phytosanitary requirements and international flower export standards.
• Experience working with KFC, GlobalG.A.P., Fairtrade, KEPHIS export protocols, and other relevant certification or compliance standards.
• Experience with cold chain monitoring and export quality documentation.
• Ability to train and guide packhouse staff on quality requirements.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Flower Quality Inspection & Grading
• Phytosanitary Compliance
• Packhouse Quality Management
• Cold Chain & Post-Harvest Handling
• International Export Standards
• Quality Auditing & Documentation
• Customer Specification Compliance
• Corrective & Preventive Action
• Staff Training & Quality Improvement
• Attention to Detail
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills
• Strong Communication & Teamwork

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Compliance with customer and export quality specifications
• Reduction in quality-related rejections and downgrades
• Reduction in post-harvest losses
• Compliance with phytosanitary requirements
• Cold chain compliance throughout the process
• Accuracy and completeness of QA and export documentation
• Timely identification and resolution of quality non-conformities
• Packhouse staff compliance with quality and grading standards