Corporate Quality Manager, QSR

Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging supporting multiple industries including foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Our manufacturing and sourcing expertise spans a diverse range of substrates including resin, paper, molded fiber, and aluminum. We provide customers a broad array of stock and customized solutions with 120 product categories, 250 brands, and over 39,000 SKUs.

Sustainability Commitment

The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations, and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through wide-ranging initiatives.

About the Role

The primary focus of the Corporate Quality Manager is to support the activities required to meet objectives of quality, food safety, and other programs or regulatory compliances for Novolex. This position supports 10 or so facilities within one or two operating units (OU) and interacts with internal and external customers.

Responsibilities

• Reports to the Director of Quality with a dotted line to OU operations leaders.
• Interacts with Corporate teams, customers, sales, customer service, product development, and all aspects of operations.
• Leads plant quality teams by facilitating alignment across the OU through a cadence of standard work (e.g., routine calls, visits).
• Drives RCCA (Root Cause Corrective Action) methodologies and training with the plants.
• Supports customers and operations in leading RCCA for customer issues; develops and implements sustainable corrective action plans with the plants.
• Analyzes and trends data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develops and/or improves the OU’s quality strategy and objectives with operations leaders.
• Recommends and develops procedures and processes that optimize and drive consistency into all aspects of manufacturing.
• Leads and supports improvement efforts in all areas of the business to meet performance targets.
• Assists in developing and implementing quality programs to ensure finished goods meet all quality, customer, and food safety requirements.
• Becomes a subject matter expert (SME) in customer requirements for the OU and promotes awareness and adherence throughout the organization.
• Assists plants in investigating and resolving customer quality issues and internal/external product failures.
• Provides technical support and expertise in statistical methods, problem-solving methods, and process improvements to plants.
• Manages data gathering software, including procurement, installation, programming, and end-user training.
• Supports scrap and cost reduction projects and champions plant improvement efforts for COPQ (Cost of Poor Quality).
• Prepares and distributes internal and external reports (weekly, monthly, on demand).
• Manages customer communications for the OU as appropriate.
• Leads or supports customer meetings (visits, audits, quality reviews).
• Supports company compliances and certifications through conducting gap assessments, internal audits, training, and program management (e.g., forestry, food safety GFSI, Kosher, CFIA, FDA).
• Conducts internal audits as scheduled and needed.
• Participates/supports in third-party audits, including direct involvement with auditors and providing support to all plants.
• Serves as interim quality manager and supports the candidate search process, as required.
• Leads and supports onboarding of new quality and food safety resources.
• Identifies and drives training opportunities across the organization and OU (e.g., HACCP, food safety, internal auditing, quality topics).
• Follows company policies and practices while representing Novolex in an ethical and business-like manner.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field preferred.
• 5+ years’ experience in a quality management role in a manufacturing environment, preferably in the plastics, paper, or packaging industry.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
• Self-starter who works independently under minimum supervision.
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as lead a team by influence.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects under tight timelines; works with a sense of urgency.
• Detail-oriented, analytical thinker who consistently demonstrates accuracy, thoroughness, and dependability.
• Strong analysis, critical thinking, good judgment, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate under deadlines while still meeting standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to interact effectively with individuals at all levels of the company.
• Practical experience with risk management, product testing, capability studies, and control plans.
• Strong leadership experience with compliance program requirements such as food safety, SQF, BRCGS, HACCP, forestry, and sustainability programs, including experience with internal and external auditing.
• Proficient in MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Nice to have: Six Sigma Principles, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing.

Schedule

This is a remote position requiring travel within the United States and Canada; travel may be up to 80%.

Pay

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $105,000 - $110,000 plus bonus and benefits. The range reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
• Paid vacation and sick days.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid holidays.
• Wellness program.
• Community engagement through the Focused Giving Program, prioritizing sustainability initiatives or addressing food and hunger needs.
• Training and development opportunities, including skills development, advanced education programs, and tuition reimbursement.