Quality Manager

About the role

Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Manager Quality oversees the site’s quality department with responsibility for total product/package quality, Food Safety/Quality cost management, safety, compliance, GMPs, and executing all Quality protocols to ensure Plant Quality objectives are met.

Responsibilities

• Adhere to and ensure compliance to all health and safety policies/procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and PPE requirements.
• Adhere to and ensure compliance to food quality and food safety as per the standard(s) provided by corporate, customer, and/or governing bodies (e.g. GFSI).
• Directly manage the Quality team to achieve KPIs and CI project goals, while tracking costs, reducing waste, overseeing employee training, and maintaining department morale.
• Responsible for direct management and utilization of laboratory (analytical and microbiology), water treatment, syrup blending, sanitation, microbiological equipment, raw materials, and all quality processes.
• Optimize resources while ensuring raw materials and finished product meet specifications and manufacturing standards in accordance with FDA, CFIA, GMPs, HACCP, and all other governmental policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Responsible for supporting and maintaining compliance with third-party food safety and quality certification requirements, including the implementation and continual improvement of the facility’s food safety and quality management systems.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the SQF System and ensuring compliance with all relevant food safety and quality requirements.
• Oversee daily Quality inspections to ensure all products are meeting compliance.
• Write, update, and maintain SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for the Quality Program.
• Champion internal audit process through continuous improvements, shared best practices, and teamwork.
• Comprehend and utilize the plant financials, fixed and variable costs. Understand how other cost centers affect QC results, how production volume affects all costs, and how to manage variable labor.
• Participate in planning future capital requirements, develop the capital request utilizing the current format, and manage capital projects to their successful completion.
• Lead the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of Food Safety Fundamentals, the Food Safety and Quality Plans, and the SQF program, while ensuring effective communication of all relevant information to employees.
• Responsible to ensure that all food safety and food quality documents are safely stored, maintained, and accessible.
• Responsible for departmental non-conformances and implementation of corrective action ensuring all corrective actions are documented and outstanding actions closed in a timely manner.
• Ensure compliance to all OSHA and environmental regulatory and corporate standards. Investigate and identify root causes of any non-compliance.
• Leads and directs the work of other employees and has responsibility for personnel actions 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.
• Accountable for a safe working environment through the development of strategies focused on accident reduction as well as energy and waste minimization.
• Serve as SQF Practitioner for the facility.
• Ability to lead teams in site projects such as waste reduction, validation, new product launch, etc.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in Food Science, Quality, or related discipline or field.
• Minimum 5 years of direct management experience in Quality within a manufacturing environment, preferably in the food/beverage industry.
• SQF Practitioner certification preferred.
• Knowledge of quality management systems, HACCP plans, food safety and security standards, and governmental regulations relating to the food/beverage industry.

Skills

• Proficient in Lab Data Collection Program, Excel, Word, SAP, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems; results-oriented.
• Organized and detail-oriented; adaptable to change.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to apply statistical methods to analyze data and identify trends.
• Familiarity with GFSI, FDA, and other relevant standards and regulations preferred.
• Able to read and understand the metric system.

Competencies

• Leadership: Foster a culture of empowerment by building relationships based on trust, lead courageously on a day-to-day basis, and inspire growth with a clear and ambitious vision that guides the collective effort toward success.
• Problem-solving: Capacity to identify and resolve production issues quickly and effectively to minimize downtime and optimize output.
• Decision-making: Aptitude for making sound decisions under pressure, considering factors like cost, quality, and time constraints.
• Communication: Strong communication skills to liaise with other departments, suppliers, and stakeholders, as well as to provide clear instructions to teams.

Working Conditions

• Work Schedule: Weekdays, weekends, afternoons, evenings, and overnights may be required. Overtime scheduled as needed.
• Work Environment: Operating in a fast-paced production plant with numerous moving parts. Noise levels require hearing protection, and temperatures can get very hot and/or relatively cold (laboratory is temperature-controlled). The environment is structured and supervised.
• Sitting: Periods of sitting may be required.
• Travel Requirements: Rarely anticipated.
• Visual/Sensory: This position requires attention to detail, often requiring focus with one or two senses at a time.
• Mental Stress: Pronounced pressure from deadlines, production quotas, accuracy, or similar demands.

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 and long-term disability
• Pet Insurance
• Legal Benefits
• 401(k) Savings Plan with Company Match
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Vacation Days and Paid Sick Time Off Days
• Well-being Benefit Discount and Total Reward Programs