Quality Manager

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Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose. At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family‑owned company with over 85,000 professionals across the globe. We proudly produce award‑winning dairy products that bring people together, including Galbani‑® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président‑® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft‑® natural and grated cheeses, Break stone’s‑® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel‑®, Black Diamond‑® cheddar, Parmalat‑® milk, and many premium yogurts such as siggi’s‑®, Stonyfield Organic‑®, Brown Cow™®, Oui‑®, Yoplait‑®, Go‑Gurt‑®, :ratio‑®, Green Mountain Creamery‑®, Mountain High‑®, and ethnic favorites like Karoun‑®, Gopi‑®, and Arz‑®.

Our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity—guide everything we do.

• Implements and manages the execution of the Groupe Lactalis Quality Policy.
• Partners with plant management to develop and implement plant quality programs and processes.
• Maintains, and improves the quality management systems (HACCP, FSSC
  22000).
• Assesses food safety and quality risks & recommends mitigation strategies in collaboration with production, sanitation and maintenance.
• Maintains appropriate records that support a robust food safety program (e.g. HACCP and pre‑requisite programs) and other documentation to support compliance with policies and procedures.
• Conducts effective root cause analysis on food safety and quality issues, implements corrective and preventative actions.
• Implements process control limits and applies in‑process corrective actions when needed.
• Reviews in‑process testing requirements for production of consistent products.
• Oversees the plant laboratory. Partners with Lab Manager to ensure all micro and analytical tests are carried out in a timely manner. Maintains a close working relationship with the Corporate Lab Relay and external laboratory.
• Oversees pest control program and serves as liaison with vendor; ensures program is appropriately managed by the sanitation team.
• Oversees the sanitation, environmental and plant sensory programs; ensures all related activities including sampling and tasting sessions are performed on schedule.
• Review and maintain all product specifications in collaboration with the Production Manager.
• Ensures ingredient non‑conformance reports are completed and communicated to appropriate parties and the supplier.
• Visits and/or audits the 2nd and/or 3rd shift practices on a minimum quarterly basis.
• Oversees site vendor performance meets quality expectations with non‑conformance reports and corrective actions as appropriate.
• Participates in the preparation of operation shut down weeks, engineering projects, sanitation and start up practices prior to resuming production.
• Establishes and enforces quality standards and specifications with vendors in collaboration with Purchasing, R&D, and Corporate Quality.
• Reviews consumer and customer complaints and works cross‑functionally to decrease them.
• Primary interface with routine & non‑routine regulatory agency representatives at the facility. Provides timely and effective regulatory response to inquiries.
• Communicates with all necessary parties (employees, plant management, etc.) on regulation changes related to Quality and Food Safety.
• Creates appropriate documentation and develops local policies to support compliance to policies and procedures.
• Prepares and leads FSSC
  22000 certification audits, customer, and other third‑party audits. This includes ensuring site preparedness, completion of CAPAs and completion of reports post audit in addition to developing and training the plant internal auditors.
• Maintains a close partnership with cross‑functional teams both internally (Materials, Operations, HR, Maintenance, EHS, Engineering and Plant Controller) and externally (Corporate Quality and Groupe Lactalis…