QA Manager

About the role

Join ALPLA, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, serving some of the world's most recognized brands. We offer stable careers, hands-on training, competitive benefits, and opportunities for growth.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and supervise all integrated management system (IMS) activities at the manufacturing site to ensure product meets internal, customer and regulatory expectations.
• Assist the site responsible leader (Plant Manager or Operations Manager) with quality-related communication to internal and external customers.
• Promote quality and continuous improvement mindset within the operation.
• Serve as lead auditor and primary audit contact for the site; prepare and complete internal and external quality and/or food safety audits.
• Ensure compliance with all quality management system requirements (ISO 9001, FSSC 22000 and other standards as required).
• Primary practitioner for HACCP and/or other product safety risk mitigation programs; support any additional risk assessment requirements including change management.
• Monthly report quality and food safety system data per documented corporate procedures locally and regionally as required; use this data along with IMS audit results to drive improvement activities.
• Lead the document management system; assist in optimizing and standardizing plant quality documentation.
• Oversee the plant quality control program including test equipment operation/calibration/verification, product testing, data collection, data integrity, and rework management.
• Ensure all personnel performing quality testing on the production floor are trained and qualified; either through direct oversight or in support of the Quality Supervisor where the role exists (and responsibility is so delegated).
• Oversight of quality testing within the quality lab; ensure all personnel performing quality testing are trained and qualified; either through direct oversight or in support of the Quality Supervisor where the role exists (and responsibility is so delegated).
• Regularly schedule quality staff meetings; ensure team works efficiently.
• Assess training needs of staff and ensure execution of training.
• Manage the quality team ensuring tasks are completed either through direct oversight or in support of the Quality Supervisor where the role exists (and responsibility is so delegated).
• Ensure correct time and attendance of team is captured.
• Recruit new employees with HR support.
• Perform disciplinary actions.
• Conduct annual performance evaluations.
• Host periodic customer visits, primary contact for quality and regulatory related communications with customers.
• Manage customer complaint process including application of proper RCA techniques and tools.
• Ensure customer complaints are captured in global/regional/local reporting systems.
• Support the RCA process and training for other departments in the plant.
• Performance metrics: effectiveness of the site Quality Management System and Quality Control program in meeting internal standards as well as customer and regulatory requirements.
• Additional considerations include audit performance and effective leadership of the site quality team.
• KPIs include but are not limited to: successful completion of internal, customer, and certification audits; including timely closure of findings; customer complaint performance, including severity, recurrence, RCA quality and closure timeliness; effectiveness of the site quality control program, including data integrity, calibration compliance and rework management; timeliness and accuracy of required quality and food safety reporting; training and qualification status of quality personnel and overall quality team effectiveness.

Qualifications and Requirements

• 4-year degree in a STEM/technical discipline or equivalent work experience required.
• Experience with physical lab testing equipment, calipers, scales, digital height gauge and compression force testing equipment; experience with Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) preferred.
• At least 5 years of work experience in Quality Assurance combined with a demonstrated track-record of accomplishments as a QA Manager, preferably in a high-speed manufacturing environment with significant customer engagement experience.
• Proficient with Excel, SPC software, Word, PowerPoint.
• Intermediate to advanced statistical knowledge.
• Able to work well with other departments.
• Able to manage Customer Relations.
• Able to handle multi-task environment with excellent organizational skills.