Diana-Elena Furcoi
Kilnhurst,United Kingdom
Summary
Food quality and safety professional with BSc and MSc in Food Safety and Food Science, along with Highfield Level 3 HACCP and Kersia Level 3 certifications. Demonstrated expertise in technical leadership, BRCGS compliance, and conducting critical food safety risk assessments. Skilled in managing quality management systems, supplier approval frameworks, and retailer technical standards. Proven track record in leading root-cause investigations, developing compliant SOPs, and promoting a proactive food safety culture on the factory floor.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Technical Team Leader
Butternut Box
2023.11 - 2026.05
- Provide technical leadership across hygiene, food safety, and compliance functions, ready to deputise for Technical Manager and support wider site operations.
- Lead, coach, and develop hygiene team and quality team; provide Quality SOP training to wider factory teams.
- Work cross functionally with Production, Warehouse, Engineering, Supply Chain and NPD teams to ensure compliance at all times.
- Drive BRCGS compliance and major retailer standards (Pets at Home), and technical requirements through robust Internal audits, GMP, GHP and Fabrication Audits to deliver excellent external audit results.
- Lead detailed Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations for process failures, implementing robust Corrective Actions (CA) and long-term preventive measures.
- Manage and monitor deep cleaning schedules, ensuring all cleans are sufficiently verified, signed off and meet strict food safety and audit standards.
- Review, update, and manage site Cleaning Instruction Cards (CICs), utilizing them as baseline to train factory teams on correct cleaning methodologies.
- Manage environmental monitoring, overseeing site testing schedules (micro, environmental, and water), analysis, and trending.
- Actively manage pest control compliance, site defence, and contractor actions.
- Investigate and manage non-conforming products/areas, supporting hold logs, foreign body investigations, customer complaints, and ensuring effective close-outs via corrective actions.
- Lead and contribute to improvement projects and hygiene-related cost-saving initiatives to optimise factory standards and operational efficiency.
- Analyse operational KPIs and quality performance to provide weekly and monthly updates to site management team.
- Coordinate and develop site taste panel process and raw material intake standards.
Quality Assurance & Process Lead
Butternut Box
2021.11 - 2023.11
- Led and executed comprehensive site audits, including GMP, Glass and Plastic, and Fabrication Audits, ensuring rigorous adherence to safety and operational standards.
- Tracked and analysed key performance indicators (KPIs), managed microbiological sampling protocols, and oversaw equipment calibration schedules to maintain optimal compliance.
- Made real-time quality decisions and authorised positive release of final products.
- Investigated customer complaints, analysed trends and conducted deep-dive root cause analysis to drive continuous quality improvements.
- Conducted internal audits and implemented swift corrective measures to maintain strict compliance with BRCGS standards.
- Conducted rigorous intake checks and proactively managed supplier non-conformances to safeguard supply chain integrity.
- Supported New Product Development (NPD) initiatives, ensuring seamless quality integration from concept to live plant operations.
- Created, reviewed, and updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline workflows and standardise best practices across team.
Quality Coordinator
Butternut Box
2021.09 - 2021.11
- Supported site-wide quality and food safety compliance through monitoring, verification and maintenance of quality management systems.
- Assisted in implementation of quality improvement initiatives, internal audits and corrective action programmes.
- Collaborated with operational teams to ensure adherence to GMP, HACCP and company quality standards.
Quality Assurance Assistant
Kettle Meal Solutions (Barrowcliffe)
2021.01 - 2021.09
- Supported BRCGS compliance and retailer standards (Lidl, Spar, Heron Foods) through internal auditing, audit readiness activities and technical compliance management.
- Authorised product release through verification of production records, CCP monitoring and traceability systems.
- Coordinated environmental monitoring, pest control programmes and food safety verification activities.
- Managed supplier approval processes, raw material compliance checks and supplier non-conformance investigations.
Meat Hygiene Inspector
Eville & Jones, UK
2019.02 - 2021.01
- Performed ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections to ensure food safety compliance.
- Conducted thorough inspections of premises, identifying safety hazards and compliance issues.
- Collected and dispatched samples for disease control and quality assessments.
Food Quality Controller
Smithfield Prod, Romania
2018.07 - 2018.09
- Monitored quality control processes.
- Conducted risk assessments, implemented corrective and preventative actions.
- Provided staff training and conducted internal quality audits.
Education
MSc - Food Control & Processing
Cristofor Simionescu Faculty of Chemical Engineering & Environmental Protection
Romania 2018.01 - 2020.01
BSc - Control & Expertise of Food Products
University of Life Sciences “Ion Ionescu de la Brad”
Iasi, Romania 2014.01 - 2018.01
Skills
- BRCGS Audits & Inspections
- Food Safety, Hygiene and Pest Control
- Project Management
- Quality Systems Management
- Retailer Standards Compliance
- Team Management & Development
- CAPA & Corrective Actions
- Product Development Oversight
- KPI Analysis & Reporting
- Regulatory Inspections
- Raw materials and Product's Specifications
- Compliance Training Delivery
- Problem-Solving & Root Cause
- Risk Assessment & Mitigation
- Health & Safety (H&S) Standards
- Supplier Approval
Certification
- Highfield Level 3 Award in HACCP for Food Manufacturing (2023)
- Kersia UK Level 3 Accredited Programme in Cleaning Technology and Control (2024)
- Introduction to Internal Auditing & Management Training (2022)
- Cleaning & Chemical Safety Training (2022)
- Level 2 HACCP & Food Safety for Manufacturing (2021)
- Level 4 Diploma, Proficiency in Meat Inspection (2019)
- Internal Auditor for Quality Management System, ISO 9001:2015 (2017)
Languages
English – Professional Proficiency
French – Conversational
Spanish – Basic
Romanian – Native
Volunteer Experience
University of Agricultural Sciences & Veterinary Medicine, Volunteer Researcher, Romania, 2017, 2018, Conducted research on bioactive compounds and analysed plant samples.
Timeline
Technical Team Leader
Butternut Box
2023.11 - 2026.05
Quality Assurance & Process Lead
Butternut Box
2021.11 - 2023.11
Quality Coordinator
Butternut Box
2021.09 - 2021.11
Quality Assurance Assistant
Kettle Meal Solutions (Barrowcliffe)
2021.01 - 2021.09
Meat Hygiene Inspector
Eville & Jones, UK
2019.02 - 2021.01
Food Quality Controller
Smithfield Prod, Romania
2018.07 - 2018.09
MSc - Food Control & Processing
Cristofor Simionescu Faculty of Chemical Engineering & Environmental Protection
2018.01 - 2020.01
BSc - Control & Expertise of Food Products
University of Life Sciences “Ion Ionescu de la Brad”
2014.01 - 2018.01