Hoofd Havenkwaliteit - Port Quality Chief
Key Skills
Job Description
Company Description
Chiquita is a leading global company with 20,000 employees across 30 countries. We are passionate about our nutritious, high-quality, energy-rich and value-added bananas.
Chiquita's products are sold in nearly 70 countries around the world. Chiquita Brands International grows, procures, markets and sells bananas and other fresh fruits under the Chiquita brand and other names.
Job Description
Position Summary
The Quality Chief is responsible for overseeing and ensuring compliance with Chiquita's quality standards for imported fruit at ports in the Netherlands. This role leads the quality inspection activities for incoming products, ensuring that fruit quality, temperature management, handling conditions, and operational processes meet company specifications and customer requirements.
The position serves as the primary point of contact for all quality-related matters at Dutch ports and supports the business through proactive monitoring, inspection management, customer engagement, incident investigation, and continuous quality improvement. The Quality Supervisor also manages a team of Quality Inspectors and coordinates with customers, suppliers, shipping lines, terminal operators, and regulatory authorities to minimize quality risks and protect product integrity throughout the supply chain.
Key Responsibilities
Quality & Operations
- Lead and develop the Quality Inspection team.
- Ensure imported fruit meets Chiquita's quality standards and customer requirements.
- Monitor inspection processes, inventory quality, and operational compliance.
- Oversee cold chain integrity, storage conditions, product handling, and loading activities.
Claims & Incident Management
- Investigate quality and food safety incidents and customer claims.
- Conduct inspections and identify root causes of quality issues.
- Prepare reports and recommend corrective actions.
Stakeholder & Regulatory Management
- Act as the main quality contact for port operations.
- Collaborate with customers, suppliers, carriers, and logistics partners to resolve issues.
- Represent the company during audits and ensure compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements.
Reporting & Continuous Improvement
- Analyze quality trends and performance indicators.
- Prepare regular quality reports.
- Support initiatives that improve quality, customer satisfaction, and supply chain performance.
People Management
- Coach, supervise, and develop Quality Inspectors.
- Manage work planning, attendance, and team performance.
- Foster a culture of quality, safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Qualifications
Qualifications and experience
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Agriculture, Supply Chain, Quality Management, or a related field.
- Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in quality assurance, quality control, food safety, fresh produce, logistics, or supply chain operations.
- Previous experience managing teams and coordinating inspection activities is preferred.
- Experience in fresh fruit import/export operations, port logistics, or cold chain management is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of food safety standards, quality inspection methodologies, and root cause analysis techniques.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced operational environment.
- High attention to detail and commitment to quality standards.
- Strong organizational and reporting skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and reporting tools.
- Ability to travel within the Netherlands and neighboring countries when required.
- Fluent in English; Dutch and/or Spanish is considered an advantage.
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
- Consistently achieving compliance with Chiquita quality standards.
- Effective management of quality incidents and customer claims.
- Minimization of quality-related losses throughout the supply chain.
- Strong collaboration with customers and operational partners.
- Maintenance of product integrity and cold chain compliance.
- Development and engagement of the Quality Inspection team.
Additional Information
#LI-Onsite
Core Responsibilities
The Quality Chief oversees quality inspection activities for imported fruit at Dutch ports to ensure compliance with company standards and customer requirements. This role also manages the Quality Inspection team, coordinates with stakeholders, and investigates quality incidents to drive continuous improvement.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in Food Science, Agriculture, Supply Chain, or a related field. A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in quality assurance, food safety, or logistics is required, along with strong leadership and analytical skills.
About Chiquita Brands International Sàrl
Industry: Food Production
Company size: 10,001+ employees
Chiquita is the world’s most recognized and loved banana brand and a global leader in fresh produce. With more than 20,000 employees across 25 countries, we have a presence in nearly 70 markets worldwide. Our core business is bananas, the world’s most famous fruit, and we are proud to be its most iconic brand. Naturally delicious, nutritious, and convenient, bananas are part of everyday life. Through the actions behind every Blue Sticker, we focus on delivering quality, innovation, and care from farm to table. At Chiquita, our mission is to make the world better by improving lives and caring for our planet. We believe in doing well while giving back, with respect for the environment, our people, and the communities we serve. Through our Being a Good Neighbor initiatives, we support local communities, and through our For the Greater Good commitments, we take action on global challenges that affect us all. Behind the Blue Sticker, we work relentlessly toward sustainable growth, ensuring our legacy is one of impact, responsibility, and care. For more information about Chiquita, visit www.chiquita.com.