Asst Quality Assurance Manager

Join the Our Talent Network•West Seneca, NY

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join a team that nourishes life from farm to table! Upstate Niagara Cooperative, proudly owned by 200+ local family farms, is one of America’s largest and most stable dairy cooperatives. Guided by farmer- and employee-led values, we process and market high-quality milk, yogurt, dips, sour cream, cottage cheese, and more under our trusted brands: Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk®. Here, you’ll support sustainable farming, strong communities, and the mission to deliver fresh, local dairy to families every day. Will assist Quality Assurance Manager to ensure all plant Quality Assurance activities follow both Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc. and regulatory requirements. Responsible for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Sanitation Practices (GSP), quality of conformity, and quality of services. Position reports directly to the Site Quality Assurance Manager with functional reporting to the Plant Manager. Participates as a member of the plants Food Safety team and will represent Corporate Quality Assurance at the Plant level. Together with Quality Assurance Manager and Plant Management Team, will develop, implement, and maintain site Food Safety & Quality plans. Plans shall comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), all relevant SQF modules, and will meet all customer requirements. Plans will include defined roles of the quality function within the facility and communication of that role to all facility associates to assure continuous improvement. Will serve as the Document Control Coordinator for UNC Quality Assurance Department. Position maintains document registry, catalogues & communicates changes, and assures that all documents and their revisions are the most current versions in use. Travel required, as needed, to support Document Compliance for all UNC manufacturing locations. Will provide overall leadership for the facility laboratory. Will work closely with the Laboratory Associates to assure that all personnel are appropriately trained and supervised. May be required to perform analysis and participate in routine laboratory activities as necessary. Willing to participate and take ownership of Continuous Improvement projects as they relate to the Quality Assurance department. Responsible for developing and executing change management processes at the site level. Will continually review and audit manufacturing procedures to ensure that all operations follow established practices and procedures. Will immediately bring any nonconformances to the attention of the appropriate individuals and assure that corrective actions are taken and are effective. Will be familiar with Federal and State regulatory requirements and will be responsible for ensuring facility compliance. Should be continually aware of new requirements and regulations. Will be responsible for representing the facility during inspections and audits with customers and regulatory agencies. To work effectively with Plant Management and Corporate Quality Assurance to establish and validate all sanitation practices and perform periodic audits to assure compliance. May assist in the evaluation of new products and techniques which may be more effective for the company. Will establish and continually monitor the effectiveness of training programs for Operations, Sanitation and Quality personnel. Willing to work off shifts to support the cleaning & sanitation program. Will assist sanitation department by conducting visual inspections, verifying effectiveness of CIP systems, and will provide coaching and guidance to Sanitation supervisor and technicians performing sanitation duties Will be responsible for purchasing lab supplies, coordinating lab tasks, maintenance and calibration of lab testing equipment, managing lab staff schedules, provide coaching and guidance to lab technicians in support of continuous improvement initiatives. Will develop, implement, and maintain Internal Auditing schedules with plant management and Food Safety Team. Will develop process for ensuring Corrective Actions & Preventive Actions are put in place, verified, and are effective for all identified non-conformances. Will review and maintain all product specifications. Will establish systems for controlling and documenting release, holds and disposition of all products manufactured at the facility. Work with Production Associates to establish procedures for quality assessments of incoming goods and raw materials. Will work with Purchasing personnel to establish and enforce quality standards and specifications on such goods with vendors. Responsible for accurate data entry of plant testing results. Will take immediate action to address quality and food safety related non-conformances to assure their timely resolution Will collect, review, sign, and file quality and food safety records following the sites document control procedures Willing to travel between Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc. manufacturing locations to support the development of food safety & quality programs and to support third party audits (20%). Perform other duties as requested by the Quality Assurance Manager Required to receive all applicable certifications including but not limited to: Preventive Controls Qualified Individual, Juice HACCP, Internal Auditor, Food Defense, SQF Practitioner Will prepare and present reports to Corporate Senior Staff on a routine basis Will maintain, update, and enforce all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines through coordination with Quality Assurance Manager. Support the maintenance and implementation of the SQF Program for the plant. Will prepare samples in accordance with customer and regulatory sampling requirements. Prepare customer Certificates of Analysis and ensure their accuracy for each delivery. In the absence of the Quality Assurance Manager, the Assistant Quality Assurance Manager will assume his/her duties Supervisor Responsibilities Manages all Plant Quality Control personnel to assure compliance with both Upstate Farms and regulatory requirements. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of this unit. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; maintain department budget; addressing complaints and resolving issues.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from a four-year college or university in Food, Dairy, or Natural Sciences; and three to five years related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education (Minimum AAS) and experience.
Experience should include active involvement in Quality Programs in the Food and Beverage industry.
Knowledge of ISO Quality Management Systems, HACCP, and statistical process control is desired.
Previous supervisory experience required.
Strong personal computer skills are preferred.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or government regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from group managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 55 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of ISO Quality Management Systems, HACCP, and statistical process control is desired.
Strong personal computer skills are preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist Quality Assurance Manager to ensure all plant Quality Assurance activities follow both Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc. and regulatory requirements.
Responsible for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Sanitation Practices (GSP), quality of conformity, and quality of services.
Participate as a member of the plants Food Safety team and represent Corporate Quality Assurance at the Plant level.
Develop, implement, and maintain site Food Safety & Quality plans in compliance with FSMA, SQF modules, and customer requirements.
Serve as the Document Control Coordinator for the UNC Quality Assurance Department, maintaining document registry, cataloging changes, and ensuring current versions are in use.
Provide overall leadership for the facility laboratory, ensuring personnel are trained and supervised.
Participate in routine laboratory activities and perform analysis as necessary.
Participate and take ownership of Continuous Improvement projects related to the Quality Assurance department.
Develop and execute change management processes at the site level.
Continually review and audit manufacturing procedures to ensure adherence to established practices and procedures.
Immediately bring non-conformances to the attention of appropriate individuals and ensure corrective actions are taken and are effective.
Ensure facility compliance with Federal and State regulatory requirements and stay aware of new requirements and regulations.
Represent the facility during inspections and audits with customers and regulatory agencies.
Work with Plant Management and Corporate Quality Assurance to establish and validate sanitation practices and perform periodic audits.
Assist in the evaluation of new products and techniques.
Establish and monitor the effectiveness of training programs for Operations, Sanitation, and Quality personnel.
Work off shifts to support the cleaning & sanitation program.
Assist the sanitation department by conducting visual inspections, verifying effectiveness of CIP systems, and providing coaching and guidance.
Purchase lab supplies, coordinate lab tasks, maintain and calibrate lab testing equipment, manage lab staff schedules, and provide coaching and guidance to lab technicians.
Develop, implement, and maintain Internal Auditing schedules with plant management and the Food Safety Team.
Develop processes for ensuring Corrective Actions & Preventive Actions are implemented, verified, and effective.
Review and maintain all product specifications.
Establish systems for controlling and documenting release, holds, and disposition of all manufactured products.
Work with Production Associates to establish procedures for quality assessments of incoming goods and raw materials.
Work with Purchasing personnel to establish and enforce quality standards and specifications with vendors.
Ensure accurate data entry of plant testing results.
Take immediate action to address quality and food safety related non-conformances to ensure their timely resolution.
Collect, review, sign, and file quality and food safety records following site document control procedures.
Travel between Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc. manufacturing locations to support the development of food safety & quality programs and third-party audits (20%).
Perform other duties as requested by the Quality Assurance Manager.
Receive all applicable certifications including but not limited to: Preventive Controls Qualified Individual, Juice HACCP, Internal Auditor, Food Defense, SQF Practitioner.
Prepare and present reports to Corporate Senior Staff on a routine basis.
Maintain, update, and enforce all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines.
Support the maintenance and implementation of the SQF Program for the plant.
Prepare samples in accordance with customer and regulatory sampling requirements.
Prepare customer Certificates of Analysis and ensure their accuracy for each delivery.
Assume duties of the Quality Assurance Manager in their absence.
Manage all Plant Quality Control personnel to ensure compliance with Upstate Farms and regulatory requirements.
Provide overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the Quality Control unit.
Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, training, planning, assigning, directing work, appraising performance, maintaining department budget, addressing complaints, and resolving issues.