Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager

Position Overview

This position ensures the output of high-quality products that meet customer expectations while maintaining compliance with GFSI, FDA/other applicable regulations, and corporate policies and procedures. Provides leadership to achieve company, plant, and department goals and develops strategies that improve overall quality and profitability. Manages and implements quality policies, programs and procedures at the plant level, while ensuring alignment with corporate quality standards.

Prioritizes multiple projects and assignments and communicates progress accordingly.

Develops and implements quality programs to ensure customer specifications and expectations are fulfilled while adhering to corporate policies and procedures:

• Maintains SQF (Food Safety and Quality Code) certification and compliance with all regulatory requirements and preventive controls.
• Ensures all food safety and quality standards and procedures are maintained, including training and monitoring employees on the processes and methods required to achieve the company's standards for food quality and food safety.
• Ensures timely and accurate monitoring and/or verifying of control points and that required documentation is completed. This includes Critical Control Points (CCPs), Preventive Controls (PCs), Critical Quality Points (CQPs), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), and Food Safety Plans.
• Acts as Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) and assures compliance to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
• Identifies conditions that may lead to customer complaints, downgrades, food safety or quality issues and escalates appropriately.

Acts as a facilitator of change to build and sustain a culture of food safety and food quality:

• Collaborates with plant management team to ensure compliance to quality procedures including prerequisite programs, Food Safety Plan/HACCP, Food Quality Plan, GMP’s, hold and release, food security and product tracing/recall.
• Acts as facilitator for Management of Change program.
• Acts as a technical liaison between the quality department, operations, and government agencies to address and resolve inquiries or issues that arise.
• Monitors and trends quality key performance indicators for adherence to targets. Works with operations to lead the team in troubleshooting and investigating to identify root causes and appropriate corrections and corrective actions.
• Manages customer complaint program, including responding to customer complaints promptly and implementing corrective measures:
• Oversees the Correction/Corrective Action program (CCA) and reviews open items regularly to assure timely completion.

Prepares for and participates in customer and internal audits, serving as a technical resource in areas of quality and food safety programs:

• Conducts plant inspections to include facility and grounds, sanitation, GMPs, housekeeping, food safety, maintenance, and employee safety and reports outcomes as appropriate.
• Serves as Food Defense/Intentional Adulteration Coordinator and obtains required training.
• Reviews and reports testing results to management, regulatory agencies, the field staff, and patrons. Ensures all required reports, records, documentation, etc. are completed promptly, maintained, and distributed according to procedures and agency regulations.

Develops an effective people development strategy to create long term sustainability:

• Leads and fosters collaborative efforts within cross functional teams toward common goals.
• Provides feedback to quality team members on a consistent basis as well as via performance reviews and creation of individual development plans.
• Provides leadership and guidance on developing goals for the quality team that will challenge each individual and drive personal growth.
• Ensures the Quality Control Supervisor or designated alternate is adequately trained to perform essential duties as necessary to back up Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager.
• Works as a backup for the Quality Control Supervisor and/or Lab Supervisor

Ensures the accurate and timely testing of raw materials, in-process and finished products. Oversees the maintenance of the lab and related test equipment including calibration, service and repair, ordering supplies, and training personnel as needed:

• Oversees the appropriate collection, analysis, trending, and distribution of testing data.
• Ensures all laboratory certifications are maintained.
• Ensures Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), Laboratory Chemical Hygiene and employee safety practices are adhered to.
• Oversees the environmental monitoring program and works to identify risks, investigate issues to determine root cause, and provides recommendations for resolution.
• Serves as one of the plant’s Certified Industry Supervisors for Appendix N Bulk Load Screening Program, including ordering necessary testing supplies, maintaining equipment and training intake personnel in proper testing procedures.