Quality Assurance Lead

Company Overview

Why Choose Us?

Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging that supports multiple industries including food service, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Novolex manufacturing and sourcing expertise spans a diverse range of substrates including resin, paper, molded fiber, aluminum and more. We provide customers a broad array of stock and customized solutions with 120 product categories, 250 brands and over 39,000 SKUs.

Our Sustainability Commitment

The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through our wide-ranging initiatives.

Quality Assurance Lead (BRC - SQF Certified is a plus)|Grottoes, VA

Compensation:

• $34.00-$39.00 per hour

Available Shift:

• 7:00 AM-7:00 PM (will rotate quarterly to 7:00 PM-7:00 AM)
• 2x2x3 schedule

Position Summary:

The Quality Assurance Lead is responsible for the site’s Quality Management System (QMS) and ensures compliance with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) requirements. This position provides daily leadership for the Quality team, drives continuous improvement, oversees food packaging safety and quality systems, and partners with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Supply Chain to ensure products consistently meet Novolex and customer specifications.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead and supervise Quality Technicians and Quality Inspectors across all shifts.
• Maintain compliance with BRCGS Packaging Materials requirements and ensure ongoing audit readiness.
• Serve as the site BRCGS Coordinator and primary point of contact for third-party, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Manage the site’s Quality Management System, including document control, SOPs, work instructions, and quality records.
• Conduct internal audits and verify that corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) are implemented effectively.
• Lead root cause investigations using methodologies such as 5 Whys, Fishbone, Pareto Analysis, and Corrective Action Reports.
• Review customer complaints, nonconforming products, supplier issues, and internal quality deviations to ensure timely resolution.
• Monitor key quality performance indicators, including customer complaints.

Ensure compliance with:

• GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative)
• GMPs
• HACCP/Quality Risk Assessments
• Foreign Material Control
• Traceability
• Product Release Procedures
• Approve product disposition decisions, including hold, release, rework, or rejection.
• Partner with Production Leads to improve process capability and reduce variation.
• Support new product launches, validation activities, and process qualifications.
• Lead quality-related training for hourly employees.
• Analyze quality trends and prepare reports for Plant Leadership.
• Participate in Management Review meetings and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Promote a strong quality culture in which product safety and customer satisfaction are organizational priorities.

Required Knowledge &

Skills:

• GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative)
• ISO-based Quality Systems
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Root Cause Analysis
• Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Internal Auditing
• Risk Assessment
• Experience in customer audits and supplier quality management.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and of continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP/QMS software.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities.

Leadership Expectations:

This leader collaborates with departments to ensure that every product meets customer expectations while upholding regulatory compliance and operational excellence.

Qualifications:

• High School diploma or higher.
• At least 2 years of quality leadership experience in manufacturing.
• Experience in packaging, plastics, extrusion, converting, or flexible packaging manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with a GFSI (Global…