Food Safety & Quality Associate Leader

PepsiCo•Wytheville, VA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) Coach ensures strict adherence to Quality and Food Safety protocols to deliver the high-quality products consumers expect. This role leads a team of FSQ Technicians and oversees all Quality and Food Safety operations on their shift. The FSQ Coach partners closely with Manufacturing, Tech Services, and Warehouse teams to reinforce quality procedures, drive sustainable practices, and support world-class FSQ performance across the facility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience (Food/Beverage Manufacturing, Engineering, Chemistry, Microbiology, or related field)
Minimum 2 years of experience in the food or beverage industry strongly preferred
Minimum 2 years of direct people leadership experience preferred
Previous Quality Control experience in a high-speed manufacturing environment preferred
Knowledge and application of quality principles and problem-solving tools
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks effectively
Strong leadership skills with the ability to drive change
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
Ability to give and receive constructive feedback
Effective coaching, facilitation, presentation, and team-building skills
Ability to lead a team-based approach to decision-making.

Responsibilities

Provide technical knowledge for water treatment systems, concentrate/syrup batching, ingredient receiving/storage, and lab systems
Demonstrate working knowledge of manufacturing equipment and processes and their impact on Quality and Food Safety
Oversee team execution of key Food Safety programs, including GMP compliance, sanitation, monitoring, documentation, and recordkeeping
Ensure compliance with Food Safety Management Systems (Food Safety, Food Defense, CAPA)
Oversee calibration programs and ensure analytical procedures are executed accurately
Ensure flawless execution of Non-Conforming Product programs
Manage hold systems, reconciliation controls, compliance processes, and personnel training
Use data analytics tools to monitor real-time Quality and Food Safety performance
Identify trends and implement corrective and preventive action plans
Support improvement of Quality, Food Safety, and consumer-related metrics
Coordinate Quality and Food Safety training for cross-functional teams
Coach FSQ Technicians and support capability development across shifts
Partner with FSQ Manager, FSQ Leader, and peer Coaches to support site audits, including: GFSI, AIB GMP, Regulatory readiness, QAS and internal audits
Ensure audit findings are addressed and sustained
Demonstrate effective change leadership while minimizing people impact
Collaborate with cross-functional partners to ensure consistent quality execution