Manager, Quality

Company Overview

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose. At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed. As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family‑owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award‑winning dairy products that bring people together. In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go‑Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®. At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued. Lactalis Heritage Dairy, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Quality Manager based in Walton, NY.

Key Responsibilities

• Draw up control schedules to ensure compliance of products according to regulations, customer or divisional specifications, etc.
• Manage follow‑up of product non‑compliance.
• Responsible for product recall or withdrawal.
• Investigate, monitor and validate corrective and preventive action plans pertaining to complaints, audits, holds, non‑conforming products, etc.
• Organize and lead organoleptic monitoring of finished products.
• Contribute to drawing up specifications.
• Participate in working groups for constant improvement of procedure control, innovation and optimization of product quality.
• Analyze and evaluate information concerning daily operations and how these results affect plant performance.
• Conduct the Quality Control Program for the operation using policies/procedures, GMPs and GSPs.
• Assure quality of finished products.
• Assure quality of raw materials and packaging.
• Direct plant Quality Control Laboratory.
• Develop effective insect and rodent prevention programs and follow up with plant sanitation.
• Set up records and procedures to report to Plant/Corporation Management information relating to faulty manufacture, packaging, raw materials, weights, improper storage/distribution, etc., and take correct action when necessary.
• Train Quality Control personnel.
• Stay informed on new/changing regulations related to the Quality Control function.
• Keep abreast of all regulatory inspections and follow‑ups.
• Actively work on the production floor to facilitate data exchange between departments.
• Implement special projects and procedures as directed.
• Cooperate with other management personnel in formulating and establishing company policies, operating procedures and goals.
• Apply and enforce all quality programs.
• Take necessary measures when there is deviation from policies and standards.
• Participate and recommend solutions to common quality issues.
• Ensure communication of department targets and monthly results to staff.
• Reduce testing variation in the lab via multiple methods.
• Manage all internal and external auditing activities and follow‑up actions.
• Assure the plant maintains compliance with external standards such as ISO 9001, FSSC 22000 and customer standards.
• Direct and continuously improve facility sanitation activities including CIP/COP processes, policies, etc.
• Member of the Change Control Board and co‑lead when required.
• Manage requests that impact the HACCP system.
• Assist in identifying and achieving facility KPIs through corrective/preventative actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Responsible for the effective operation of the HACCP system and Pre‑Requisite Program, ensuring they are timely updated and maintained as Food Safety leader.
• Assist with creation of HACCP training and deliver training to all site employees.
• Provide quality support for plant projects and initiatives in the manufacturing environment.
• Lead Food Safety investigations and foreign‑material analysis.
• Ensure manufacture of safe, quality food observing all Good Manufacturing Practices, being alert for bioterrorism and reporting off‑standard or abnormal conditions.
• Inspect and audit the operation in all phases of quality performance observing Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Sanitation Practices.
• Construct and drive the quality management system.
• Increase awareness and train staff in quality/food hygiene measures.
• Follow up and communicate relevant indicators for quality and food safety.
• Measure the effectiveness of the system through audits.
• Report to site management on the operation of the quality management system.
• Ensure that innovation actions are planned.
• Communicate reports on quality issues and action plans.
• Conduct visits by official bodies and customer audits.
• Organize the team’s work.
• Manage staff: integrate, train, appraise, redefine responsibilities, praise, ensure development and gauge training needs.
• Lead a team: delegate, instill responsibility, set targets, communicate instructions, control, listen.
• Provide reports to line management.
• Particip