Regional Senior Executive, QA - Packaging & Lifestyle  

Purpose / Objective (of this position) :

  • To execute and coordinate regional quality assurance activity for non-food including packaging, small ware and lifestyle merchandise across multiple markets within ZUS Coffee.
  • The role ensures product safety, regulatory compliance, supplier quality, and brand consistency, supporting the QA Lead from product development to deployment.
Position Responsibilities :

Part 1 – Primary roles of the job which are measurable and may be used as part of OKRs.

1. Regional QA Framework & Standardization
  • Support to develop standardized QA protocols, testing requirements, and inspection criteria for packaging and lifestyle products across countries.
  • Set Acceptable Quality Limits (AQL) by product category and risk profile; ensure regional adaptation where needed.
  • Monitor regional regulatory updates (e.g., FDA, EU FCM, ASEAN food contact laws, EN71) and update QA standards accordingly.
2. Supplier Assurance & Qualification
  • Support supplier audits and assessments for packaging and non-food merchandise suppliers across the region.
  • Assess supplier capability documentation (e.g., test reports, certifications, CAPA history).
  • Maintain a regional supplier performance scorecard and drive improvement plans for underperforming vendors.
3. Product Testing & Compliance Oversight
  • Manage testing plans with accredited labs for food-contact packaging and lifestyle goods (e.g., tumblers, textiles, toys).
  • Review laboratory reports for physical, chemical, and regulatory compliance; escalate any non-conformances.
  • Oversee golden sample control and ensure mass production aligns with approved specifications.
4. Cross-Functional & Market Launch Support
  • Collaborate with Product, Marketing, ESG and Regional Ops teams to provide QA validation during new market launches.
  • Act as the QA supporting role in go-to-market processes for packaging and lifestyle items, ensuring timely signoffs and documentation readiness.
  • Support country teams on QA alignment, technical inquiries, and product release decisions.
5. Incident Management & Product Recall
  • Coordinate regional responses for product complaints or quality incidents, including root cause analysis and supplier CAPA.
  • Lead risk assessments for defective or non-compliant goods; manage withdrawal or rework actions with market teams.
  • Prepare incident reports and trend summaries for regional QA and senior management.
6. Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement
  • Analyze regional QA metrics (e.g., defect rates, inspection findings, complaint trends) and generate insights for continuous improvement.
  • Drive initiatives to reduce quality issues, improve supplier consistency, and align product standards regionally.
  • Maintain QA documentation, reports, and audit records in compliance with internal and regulatory standards.
7. Sustainability Integration
  • Work closely with the ZUS ESG team to embed sustainability goals into packaging and lifestyle merchandise QA processes.
  • Support the transition toward recyclable, biodegradable, and lower-impact packaging materials (e.g., PAS 9017-compliant plastics).
  • Engage suppliers to validate sustainable sourcing practices and manufacturing transparency.
  • Ensure sustainability-related claims are supported by testing, documentation, and aligned with regulatory standards across all markets.
Part 2 – Secondary roles which supports the primary roles above.

1. Cross-Category QA Support
  • Provide backup support for other QA categories (e.g., food packaging, drink ingredients, or lifestyle F&B merchandise) during audits, product launches, or incident investigations.
  • Share QA best practices and defect learnings across categories to enhance overall quality culture
2. Innovation & R&D Collaboration
  • Provide QA input during early-stage packaging and merchandise innovation projects to ensure feasibility, durability, and compliance are addressed from concept to execution.
  • Collaborate with Marketing and R&D to assess new material risks (e.g., plant-based plastics, recycled content) and support pilot evaluations.

Qualification and Experience :

Qualification :

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Quality Assurance, Packaging Science, Food Science or other related disciplines.
  • Completion or certified auditor qualification is required, preferably in ISO 9001 and / or FSSC 22000 (Packaging – ISO/TS 22002-4), to support supplier audits for food contact packaging, lifestyle merchandise and smallware.
  • Additional certifications in product safety and compliance (i.e. EN71, CPSIA, FDA FCM, EU 10/2011, GB etc) are strongly preferred.
  • Proficiency in Mandarin (written and spoken) is required to review supplier documentation and communicate effectively with China-based suppliers.
Experience
  • 2 - 3 years of working experience in quality assurance, preferably in packaging, lifestyle products or consumer goods.
  • Hands-on experience in product testing, supplier audits and handling quality incidents related to packaging and lifestyle.
  • Familiarity with product development cycles and QA integration in cross-functional go-to-market processes.
Skills & Knowledge
  • Fluent in English, Chinese and Malay (spoken and written).
  • Strong knowledge of international standards and regulations: FDA FCM, EU10/2011, GB, EN71, ASTM, ISO packaging standards.
  • Proficient in QA methodologies: AQL sampling, root cause analysis, CAPA management, risk-based QA planning.
  • Ability to read and evaluate test reports, product specifications, and audit findings.
  • Competency in working with third-party labs and inspection agencies.
  • Understanding of ESG and sustainability principles related to packaging and consumer merchandise.
Behavioral Traits – State the type of personality required to fit the job
  • Proactive, structured and adaptable to cross-cultural work settings.
  • Strong communicator and problem solver, with regional stakeholder engagement capability.
  • Committed to quality integrity, detail-orientated, and organized in multitasking.
  • Able to articulate new information quickly and react positively to new and challenging opportunities.
  • Possess own transport and wiling to travel

a Necessity, not a Luxury