Sr. FSQA Manager

Overview

Lead the manufacturing facility Food Safety & Quality Assurance department and carry out management responsibilities in accordance with Ajinomoto policies, procedures and applicable regulatory laws. Responsibilities include leading all regulatory compliance requirements; training and managing associates; establishing audit‑ready procedures for the facility; record‑keeping; laboratory management; maintaining quality, food safety and sanitation parameters of AWI products and facilities; and have an understanding of labeling, exports and RTE and NRTE food manufacturing and sanitation processes.

Must have strong interpersonal skills and ability to manage salaried and non‑salaried employees. Must have well developed written and verbal skills, organizational and time‑management skills, an outgoing personality, an ability to work in a team environment, and an ability to work under pressure.

• Fully implement and manage all AWI FSQA policies and procedures regarding food safety and quality. Assure that staff well trained in all policies and procedures for their position.
• Develop, implement and manage new and on‑going quality assurance and food safety training programs at the facility that raise awareness of quality and food safety and assure compliance to USDA regulatory requirements.
• Ensure all suppliers have and enforce the AWI standards for product quality & food safety. Obtain proper documentation from all suppliers (or through corporate Supply Quality) to ensure compliance with AWI Supplier Approval Program (Letters of Guarantee, MSDS sheets – where appropriate, Inspection Approvals, etc.). Be available to audit local suppliers when necessary.
• Develop, test, implement and manage quality operational procedures, practices, requirements and standards, according to scientifically sound protocols (e.g. SPC), to assure all products meet AWI quality, food safety and regulatory requirements.
• Manage the monthly facility assessment process, assure that corrective actions are identified by the appropriate responsible person and department, and verify that corrective actions are completed on a timely basis. Assure that the facility is audit ready every day and represent facility during all third‑party, customer and regulatory audits. Key individual for providing audit response and feedback for all third‑party and regulatory audits.
• Implement programs to monitor and assist in response to customer complaints, potential food‑borne illnesses, including the development of crisis plans, and the communication of these responses and plans to local management.
• Knowledgeable of all purchased ingredients, their usage and ideal product conditions, including labeling, USDA regulatory compliance, and direct quality testing for adherence to standards.
• Ensure all outgoing and received products & ingredients meet AWI specifications and quality parameters and are stored in a safe and sanitary manner, as well as special storage circumstances (frozen, refrigerated and dry warehousing).
• Ensure that FIFO (First‑In‑First‑Out) procedures are followed and that proper tracking capabilities are implemented as materials circulate throughout the facility.
• Develop new plant Standard Operating procedures as needed to facilitate implementation of the Corporate FSQA (SQF) policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with other facility departmental managers to ensure the training and enforcement of new procedures.
• Maintain quality check points to ensure compliance to quality & food safety standards during receiving, production, storage and shipping. Ensure that FSQA department members have access to specifications in Product vision.
• Knowledge of recall system, regulatory authority and crisis communications is required, along with minimum annual test of effectiveness and modification when necessary.
• Fully implement all microbiological testing procedures identified in the FSQA manual. Assure that all environmental monitoring procedures, particularly the positive swab investigation process, is fully implemented.
• Responsible for timeliness of environmental and finished product testing procedures and results and development of appropriate…