Quality Control Executive

Location: Baddi, Himachal Pradesh

Department: Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Industry: Color Cosmetics / Beauty & Personal Care

Experience: 2-5 Years

Reporting To: Quality Manager / Head - Quality

Role Overview

We are looking for a detail-oriented Quality Control Executive to manage quality control activities across third-party manufacturing units and external testing laboratories.

The candidate will be responsible for ensuring that all cosmetic products manufactured through third-party manufacturing partners meet defined quality standards, approved specifications and applicable regulatory requirements. The role will involve coordination with manufacturing partners, third-party laboratories, internal NPD, supply chain and quality teams to ensure product quality and compliance from raw material inspection to finished goods release.

Key Responsibilities

1. Third-Party Manufacturing Quality Control

• Coordinate with third-party manufacturing units to ensure adherence to approved quality standards and manufacturing specifications.
• Conduct regular factory visits and monitor manufacturing and packaging processes.
• Ensure compliance with approved SOPs, quality procedures and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Monitor batch manufacturing records, batch packing records and production documentation.
• Conduct in-process quality checks and finished goods inspections.
• Identify quality deviations and coordinate with manufacturing partners for corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Ensure that products are manufactured as per approved master formula and specifications.

2. Third-Party Laboratory Coordination

• Coordinate with external testing laboratories for product testing and analysis.
• Arrange sampling and testing of raw materials, packaging materials and finished products.
• Follow up on test reports and ensure timely availability of Certificates of Analysis (COA).
• Review laboratory test reports against approved product specifications.
• Coordinate investigation and retesting in case of out-of-specification (OOS) results.
• Maintain proper documentation and testing records.

3. Raw Material & Packaging Material Quality

• Ensure quality checks of incoming raw materials and packaging materials at manufacturing locations.
• Verify material specifications, COAs and supplier quality documents.
• Coordinate with vendors and manufacturing partners for quality-related issues.
• Ensure that only approved materials are used in production.

4. Finished Goods Quality Inspection

• Perform finished goods inspections based on approved sampling plans.
• Check product appearance, colour, fragrance, texture, consistency, fill quantity, packaging quality and labelling.
• Ensure batch-to-batch consistency across cosmetic product categories.
• Verify product specifications and testing results before recommending batch release.
• Coordinate with internal teams for approval and disposition of non-conforming products.

5. Quality Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain quality records, inspection reports, COAs, batch records and testing reports.
• Ensure proper documentation of deviations, complaints, CAPA and non-conformance reports.
• Support audits and quality assessments of third-party manufacturing facilities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Cosmetics Rules, 2020, and relevant BIS standards, wherever applicable.
• Monitor product shelf-life, stability testing and retention sample records.

6. Quality Complaint Management

• Investigate product quality complaints received from internal teams, distributors and customers.
• Coordinate with third-party manufacturers and laboratories to identify root causes.
• Ensure timely closure of quality complaints through appropriate corrective and preventive actions.
• Track recurring quality issues and recommend preventive measures.

7. Cross-functional Coordination

• Work closely with NPD, R&D, Supply Chain, Procurement and Manufacturing teams.
• Coordinate product sampling, pilot batches, trial batches and new product testing.
• Support new product launches by ensuring that all quality parameters are met before commercial production.
• Follow up with third-party manufacturers to ensure timely resolution of quality concerns.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• B.Sc. / M.Sc. in Chemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacy or a related discipline.
• 2-5 years of experience in Quality Control / Quality Assurance, preferably in the cosmetics, personal care or FMCG industry.
• Experience working with third-party manufacturing units and external testing laboratories.
• Good understanding of cosmetic product testing, quality specifications and GMP.
• Knowledge of raw material testing, finished goods inspection, stability testing and microbiological testing coordination.
• Understanding of Cosmetics Rules, 2020, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Good knowledge of quality documentation, COA, CAPA, deviation management and audit procedures.
• Strong coordination, follow-up and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to travel to third-party manufacturing facilities as required.

Key Competencies

• Strong quality orientation and attention to detail.
• Good analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Vendor and third-party manufacturer management.
• Effective coordination with external laboratories.
• Strong documentation and reporting skills.
• Ability to independently manage quality-related activities across multiple manufacturing partners.

Desired Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate should have hands-on experience in managing quality activities in a third-party manufacturing environment, preferably within color cosmetics or personal care.

The candidate should be capable of independently coordinating with manufacturing partners and external laboratories, monitoring product quality, reviewing test reports, managing quality documentation and ensuring that products meet the company's defined quality standards before commercial release.