Lead Analyst, Quality Assurance

Your Opportunity as the Lead Analyst Quality Assurance

This is a high-impact quality leadership role responsible for safeguarding the food safety, quality, and integrity of green coffee across multiple warehouse locations supporting the New Orleans operation. The role serves as a critical link between J.M. Smucker, external partners, and regulatory requirements, driving compliance with industry-leading quality standards while influencing operational excellence.

What makes this role unique is its broad scope and visibility. The individual will lead quality initiatives across third-party warehouses, partner closely with internal and external stakeholders, influence key quality decisions, and serve as a trusted backup to the Site Quality Manager. This position offers the opportunity to shape quality culture, improve processes, and directly impact product quality from receiving through blending.

Location:

New Orleans Silo

Work Arrangements:
Monday-Friday with flexibility to support operations during occasional evenings, nights, or weekends, based on operational and business needs.

• Accountable for quality assurance systems, results, and operational excellence while ensuring compliance with BRCGS, Quality Key Elements, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate QA standards, laboratory procedures, and work processes to drive efficiency and compliance.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance quality systems supporting green coffee receiving, storage, and delivery operations across all facilities.
• Manage decaffeinated coffee quality and food safety monitoring programs, including warehouse inspections and compliance activities.
• Oversee purchasing of quality assurance materials and supplies for J.M. Smucker and third-party operations.
• Perform and support all quality assurance laboratory functions, including analytical testing, quality evaluations, data analysis, and reporting within Oracle and IMS systems.
• Qualify and maintain green coffee cupper certification through a rigorous training and calibration program; conduct sensory evaluations of green coffee components and blends.
• Maintain regulatory certifications, accreditations, and qualified auditor status to support compliance requirements.
• Conduct warehouse GMP audits and recommend corrective and preventive actions to improve food safety and quality performance.
• Lead or participate in root cause analysis investigations, corrective action implementation, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Manage product hold, release, disposition, withdrawal, and recall processes to ensure compliance and product integrity.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance, calibration, and performance verification of laboratory equipment.
• Serve as an active contributor to Quality Pillar and Engineering & T Pillar initiatives.
• Partner with third-party service providers, Corporate Green Coffee Planning, and Quality Assurance teams to build effective relationships and achieve key business objectives.
• Support food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

• Bachelor's Degree, Quality or Technical concentration preferred
• 2.5 years of quality, technical or analytical experience
• Qualified green coffee cupper required

• Personal Responsibility and Provides Timely Feedback to Others when Necessary.
• Demonstrate d capability in analyz ing data/situations , problem solving and attention to detail
• Strong organization and time management skills
• Collaborative approach : T his role must effectively interface with multiple internal functions as…