VP, Categories Quality & Food Safety

VP, Categories Quality & Food Safety

Job Location s: US-CO-Louisville

This role is responsible for the overall and end-to-end Quality & Food Safety performance for all categories—from design to manufacturing (supply points and COMANs). The categories Quality & Food Safety leader is accountable to make sure all market observations and issues are being channeled through the most efficient way across different functions and stakeholders, ensuring consumer trust and operational excellence.

Main purposes of the Categories QFS VP role include defining and executing the Categories QFS strategy aligned with global standards and business priorities.

• Develop QFS capabilities in plants and COMANS
• Strengthen implementation and adherence of product and operational standards and increase performance in plants and COMANS
• Ensure the Quality Management System within the factories meets the needs of the product and consumer.
• Drive a QFS culture of transparency, continuous improvement and zero‑defect minded executional excellence.
• Monitor end‑to‑end QFS performance and consumer satisfaction metrics, reporting, data and insights analytics and make strategies for addressing gaps and performance issues as well as recognizing good performance.
• Ensure the right resources (Cap Ex, OpEx and people) are in place to drive food safety compliance and consumer satisfaction.
• Develop the capabilities within the category QFS team and in the factories to deliver the digital and IWS agenda.

• Develop and implement the right process of Quality in design, ensuring RFT on all projects.
• Ensure new products and processes are designed to meet relevant regulatory and quality and food safety criteria.
• Ensure products are designed with consumer needs in mind and that end‑user experience is fully integrated into the design stage.
• Ensure end‑to‑end processes within factories, including the quality management system, deliver a product that is consistent, functional and meets customer expectations.
• Address QFS performance issues with existing products, ensuring that issues are raised, actioned and resolved.

The role covers all end‑to‑end QFS design and operational activities for all categories with NORAM, including assuring a strong link to the brand/ category and commercial leadership through the QFS VP NORAM leadership role.

The salary range for this position is $275,000–315,000 USD. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate's relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone North America additionally offers a performance‑based bonus and a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401(k) Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.

To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

• Leadership
  • Lead by example with a servant leadership focus enabling a culture of teamwork and trust across all teams.
  • Develop highly competent factory QFS organizations that are technically and capable of implementing strong quality management systems.
  • Establish a category network linking factories, technical expertise and global QFS teams to drive best practice, shared learnings and ultimately category performance.
  • Establish strong, collaborative relationships with Factory Directors, Operations, R&I, C&P and Supply Chain teams.
  • Work openly and proactively with zone QFS teams and categories to drive overall performance in the Europe zone.
  • Develop strategies for continuous QFS improvement in designated category but also input to zone QFS strategy.
  • Interact seamlessly and proactively as a peer/partner with all relevant functions as needed to assure successful delivery of QFS objectives in the category.
• Compliance
  • Ensure implementation of food safety and quality policy, procedures and standards in factories and in quality in design processes.
  • Deliver the implementation of reference analytical tools and methods in factory laboratories.
  • Ensure audit…