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I am a Kenyan food scientist and manufacturing leader with extensive experience in quality, production, and R&D across East Africa. I am committed to applying scientific rigor and continuous improvement to deliver safe, high-quality products while driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. I thrive in cross-functional teams and enjoy building robust quality systems that support growth and innovation. Throughout my career, I have led multi-site operations, implemented global standards (FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP), and partnered with customers to solve technical challenges. I am passionate about people development, process optimization, and delivering tangible value to consumers and stakeholders alike.…I am a Kenyan food scientist and manufacturing leader with extensive experience in quality, production, and R&D across East Africa. I am committed to applying scientific rigor and continuous improvement to deliver safe, high-quality products while driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. I thrive in cross-functional teams and enjoy building robust quality systems that support growth and innovation. Throughout my career, I have led multi-site operations, implemented global standards (FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP), and partnered with customers to solve technical challenges. I am passionate about people development, process optimization, and delivering tangible value to consumers and stakeholders alike.

James Kamau Irungu

Production Manager, Project Manager, Creative Producer, +2

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I am a Kenyan food scientist and manufacturing leader with extensive experience in quality, production, and R&D across East Africa. I am committed to applying scientific rigor and continuous improvement to deliver safe, high-quality products while driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. I thrive in cross-functional teams and enjoy building robust quality systems that support growth and innovation. Throughout my career, I have led multi-site operations, implemented global standards (FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP), and partnered with customers to solve technical challenges. I am passionate about people development, process optimization, and delivering tangible value to consumers and stakeholders alike.…I am a Kenyan food scientist and manufacturing leader with extensive experience in quality, production, and R&D across East Africa. I am committed to applying scientific rigor and continuous improvement to deliver safe, high-quality products while driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. I thrive in cross-functional teams and enjoy building robust quality systems that support growth and innovation. Throughout my career, I have led multi-site operations, implemented global standards (FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP), and partnered with customers to solve technical challenges. I am passionate about people development, process optimization, and delivering tangible value to consumers and stakeholders alike.

Available to hire

I am a Kenyan food scientist and manufacturing leader with extensive experience in quality, production, and R&D across East Africa. I am committed to applying scientific rigor and continuous improvement to deliver safe, high-quality products while driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. I thrive in cross-functional teams and enjoy building robust quality systems that support growth and innovation.

Throughout my career, I have led multi-site operations, implemented global standards (FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP), and partnered with customers to solve technical challenges. I am passionate about people development, process optimization, and delivering tangible value to consumers and stakeholders alike.

Skills

Leadership

Experience Level

Leadership

Expert

Language

English

Fluent

Swahili

Fluent

Kikuyu, Gikuyu

Advanced

Work Experience

Head of Manufacturing Operations at Finwerd Flavours & Fragrances

June 1, 2025 - Present

Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring efficiency, productivity, customer centricity, cost effectiveness and quality in all processes.

Quality Lead – East Africa to Greater Africa at Kerry

January 1, 2023 - May 31, 2025

Lead the Quality team on global policies, systems and standards implementation; Ensure customer focus and engagement; Oversee certification processes and implementation.

QAM – Afribon group at Afribon K Limited

January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022

Oversee sites certifications; Guide QAM team on Quality implementations; Customer focus across the region.

QAM - Kenya at Afribon K Limited

February 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

Food safety team leader; FSMS establishment, implementation, maintenance and update; Adherence to EHS; Lead problem solving for customers’ application and production trials; Customer complaints investigations and responses; Follow up on statutory/regulatory certifications.

Head of Production and Technical at Afribon K Limited

January 1, 2020 - January 31, 2021

Lead production team focused on efficient, economical and timely production; Lead problem solving for customers’ application and production trials.

Head of Production and Research & Development at Afribon K Limited

December 1, 2018 - December 31, 2019

Lead R&D and production team on timely tasks completion and quality results; Participate in product developments.

Assistant QA Manager at AAA Growers

May 1, 2018 - November 30, 2018

Ensuring Quality Management systems in production, hygiene and general operation processes are adhered to; Customer complaints investigations and responses; Overseeing the implementation of BRC and customer technical standards specification requirements.

Quality Controller Assistant at Kevian Kenya Limited

September 1, 2016 - April 30, 2018

Blending of various juice flavours and quality checks; Pilot plant run of flavours and compounds production; Customer complaint investigations and responses; Analysis of incoming raw materials, packaging and chemicals; Quality checks and hygiene in fruit crushing plant.

Attachee in production and QA departments at Del Monte Kenya Limited

May 1, 2016 - August 31, 2016

Engaged in raw fruit inspections, processing, quality checks, can making.

Volunteer – Nutrition Department at Thika Level 5 Hospital

December 1, 2015 - February 29, 2016

Engaged in dietary regimen for different groups e.g., pediatrics, elderly and health conditions such as renal, hepatic disorders, diabetic and burn patients.