Manager Quality Systems and Policy

About the role

Refresco is the leading global independent beverage solutions provider, serving a broad range of national and international retailers as well as Global, National, and Emerging (GNE) brands. Our products are distributed worldwide from production sites in Europe, North America, and Australia. The Manager, Quality Systems and Policy provides corporate leadership and subject matter expertise in the development, maintenance, and governance of the Quality Management System for all Refresco North America facilities. This role has primary responsibility for the development, review, and revision of Refresco corporate quality policies, procedures, and validation protocols for equipment, packaging, and ingredients. The position serves as a corporate subject matter expert, providing guidance on quality system requirements, identifying emerging quality and regulatory needs, and driving consistent application of corporate standards across facilities. The role also supports the implementation and training of new and revised policies and quality system requirements, ensuring the organization is prepared for new plant startups, line expansions, and company acquisitions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the overall corporate owner for Quality Management Systems, including document control and quality data collection applications.
• Maintain direct communication with local site Quality experts to ensure Quality Management Systems comply with Refresco corporate guidelines and provide guidance on interpretation and application.
• Create, develop, review, and revise Refresco corporate quality policies and related procedures to address new product types, regulatory requirements, customer requirements, and evolving business and quality needs.
• Act as the corporate Subject Matter Expert for Refresco quality testing programs, quality policies, validation requirements, and Quality Management System practices.
• Evaluate regulatory, customer, product, packaging, ingredient, equipment, and process changes to determine the need for new or revised corporate quality policies, procedures, validation protocols, and Quality Management System requirements.
• Partner with Quality, Operations, Regulatory, R&D, and other internal stakeholders to ensure corporate quality policies and validation protocols address applicable regulatory, customer, business, and quality requirements.
• Develop, review, and maintain corporate validation protocols and requirements for equipment installations, packaging changes, ingredient changes, new products, processes, and other changes requiring quality validation.
• Monitor quality trends, site practices, audit findings, regulatory developments, and other relevant information to identify opportunities for new or revised corporate policies, procedures, validation requirements, processes, or training.
• Champion governance, alignment, standardization, and communication of corporate quality policies and best practices across Refresco North America facilities.
• Provide expert guidance and second-level support to key users and site Quality teams regarding policy interpretation, quality system requirements, quality testing programs, and complex problem resolution.
• Own the quality systems project portfolio and drive alignment across the businesses, mapping business and quality requirements to delivered solutions.
• Work with internal customers and cross-functional partners in application support, design, development, testing, and implementation for document control and quality data collection systems.
• Create and oversee systems and requirements to ensure proper SKU setup and quality testing requirements are implemented into quality data collection systems before local plant access.
• Assist in the design and delivery of new and/or improved systems functionality to support corporate quality requirements and business needs.
• Identify opportunities and implement solutions for quality process improvements to ensure standardization, simplification, integration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive efforts to refine quality-related business processes and promote the effective and innovative use of integrated systems.
• Develop and maintain key user networks across regions, functional groups, business units, and sites to support communication, implementation, feedback, and continuous improvement of corporate quality requirements.
• Lead projects through design, testing, implementation, and continuous improvement of document control and quality data collection applications.
• Lead implementation of document control and quality data collection applications across Refresco locations as needed to support corporate Quality Management System requirements.
• Support the development and delivery of training for new and revised corporate quality policies, procedures, validation protocols, and Quality Management System requirements.
• Partner with site Quality teams and key users to support consistent understanding and implementation of new and revised corporate quality requirements.
• Support communication and implementation of corporate quality policies and best practices across applicable facilities.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Leads and directs the work of other employees, including hiring, performance management, and termination.
• Provides training, direction, and instruction, and conducts performance evaluations.
• Provides guidance and training on work standards and expected outcomes.
• Accountable for planning and evaluating performance, staff training and development, recruitment, and may contribute to pay recommendations.

Requirements

• Demonstrated expertise in the development, review, interpretation, implementation, and maintenance of corporate quality policies, procedures, and Quality Management System requirements.
• Strong knowledge of Quality Management Systems within a manufacturing environment, preferably food or beverage manufacturing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate trends, identify systemic gaps, and determine appropriate policy, process, system, or training solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex quality requirements clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SAP, and relevant quality management systems and applications.
• Results-oriented, organized, detail-oriented, adaptable to change, and able to work effectively in a complex, cross-functional environment.

Qualifications

• BS Degree in Food Science or related science discipline.
• 7–10 years of progressive Quality experience within a manufacturing environment, preferably food or beverage manufacturing, with demonstrated experience in Quality Management Systems, corporate quality policy development, and quality program implementation.
• Alternatively, 5+ years of relevant internal experience demonstrating equivalent knowledge, technical expertise, and organizational understanding.
• Experience in policy development and material acceptance testing protocols.
• Experience interpreting regulatory, customer, and industry requirements and translating them into policies, procedures, or Quality Management System requirements.

Travel Requirements

Up to 50% travel, with the role potentially based on-site at any plant outside of travel.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life and AD&D Insurance, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance
• Short-term disability and long-term disability
• Pet Insurance
• Legal Benefits
• 401(k) Savings Plan with Company Match
• 12 Paid Holidays
• 10 Vacation Days and 5 Paid (Sick) Time Off Days
• Well-being Benefit Discount and Total Reward Programs

Pay

Pay Range: $119,200–$149,000, plus eligibility for performance-based bonuses based on company objectives.