Aphiwe Sidwadwa

Supervised quality control operations, ensuring compliance with food safety standards and efficient management of documentation, audits, and corrective actions.

• Supervised and verified all quality control documentation, accurately filing information and raising non-conformances to maintain data integrity.
• Appointed as Food Safety Team Leader, successfully planning and chairing food safety team meetings and annual Food Safety Management Review meetings.
• Implemented and maintained FSSC 22000 Food Safety Management System, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and updating to the latest version.
• Conducted monthly hygiene inspections and internal audits, closing all findings within agreed timeframes to ensure continuous compliance and operational excellence.
• Managed external audits and regulatory inspections, liaising with third parties to facilitate schedules and ensure timely closure of findings.
• Conducted staff training on food safety policies and procedures, enhancing team competency and adherence to quality standards.

Led customer service operations, providing empathetic and solutions-focused support to clients, ensuring exceptional service delivery and issue resolution.

• Delivered empathetic, solutions-focused support to senior clients, clarifying complex healthcare plans and resolving billing/claim issues, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Provided comprehensive product and service explanations to newly hired agents, contributing to their rapid onboarding and performance readiness.
• Addressed incoming customer communications, conducting thorough research to resolve issues efficiently and effectively.
• Utilized strong communication and problem-solving skills to enhance customer satisfaction and build trust in healthcare services.

Led quality control and hygiene operations, maintaining stringent standards for major customers like Woolworths and ensuring compliance with food safety requirements.

• Maintained Woolworths-level hygiene standards, ensuring facility compliance with stringent food safety requirements and customer specifications.
• Managed and developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for hygiene, machine maintenance, and deep cleaning services, improving operational efficiency.
• Led and conducted HACCP and food safety meetings, and represented SQC in meetings with team members, managers, and supervisors, fostering collaborative problem-solving.
• Conducted data verification for product specifications including in-line weights, quality, pH testing, moisture content, nutritional analysis, and chemical testing, ensuring accuracy.
• Oversaw allergen management and control for equipment and raw materials, safeguarding product integrity and consumer safety.

Monitored and tested products for quality specifications, contributed to new product development, and ensured compliance with food safety standards.

• Monitored and tested products, including those with rework, to ensure daily adherence to quality specifications and standards.
• Conducted positive release checks for all products by testing organoleptic properties, ensuring product quality and consumer satisfaction.
• Performed daily in-line weight checks and QC end product verifications, contributing to consistent product quality and process control.
• Assisted in New Product Development (NPD), including recipe formulation, calculations, organization, and leading sensory evaluation panels.
• Analyzed product, swab, and laboratory quality results, providing critical data for quality control and process improvement.