Laboratory Excellence Sr. Auditor

Lactalis American Group Inc • Buffalo, NY

just now • Onsite

About The Position

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 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From your PASSION to ours
Lactalis American Group, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Laboratory Excellence Sr. Auditor based in Buffalo, New York. As a Laboratory Excellence Sr. Auditor, the role will carry out responsibilities such as but not limited to satisfy the training needs of Lactalis USA Labs, as well as assuming responsibility for the auditing of all Lactalis USA Labs (12 relay labs + 8 auditing).

From your EXPERTISE to ours
Key responsibilities for this position include:
Coordinate travel to all USA labs, report of their compliance against the Lactalis testing expectations (SOPs, reproducibility, etc.). Create a force of proposal for improvement and follow up.
As a Lactalis laboratory accredited auditor, you will plan, organize and perform lab audits for all internal and external labs used by Lactalis in USA, follow up on all corrective actions noted during auditing, make proposals for acceptance (or not) of new external labs (chemistry and micro), based on audit results and compliance within Lactalis protocols.
Responsibility of “Lab relay” for the USA (that includes plants laboratories, such as LAG, LUSY, Karoun, and LHD); travel to all laboratories in the US to bring testing methods according to the Lactalis standards. Will organize bi-weekly teams meetings with each lab, following on corrective actions and updates on progress
Responsibility of the integration of any new labs, as Lactalis pursue new acquisitions, as they will need to be transitioned into Lactalis Lab procedures and protocols.
Manage the Lactalis Cecalait verification system with all laboratories, helping to troubleshoot when out of compliance
Contribute to ongoing meetings such as : Monthly Teams Meeting with Groupe Lactalis (France), Quarterly meetings with each division Quality leader about lab progress, Quarterly meetings with each division VP Quality.
Provide recommendations for new alternative test methods, thus improving lab efficiencies
Maintain communications with Groupe Lactalis: reports and KPIs to DQG in Laval, attend annual group Lactalis seminars for Laboratory and R&D updates and incorporate them into US Lab practices

Requirements

• 5+ years Management experience required
• Lab auditing experience required
• Minimum of 10 years relevant previous analytical laboratory experience in a regulated industry required.
• Thorough knowledge of principles of Food analysis required.
• Strong laboratory skills (Chemistry and Microbiology)
• Strong Mathematics knowledge including stoichiometry and statistics.
• Strong communication skills to communicate direction and new methodology to lab personal
• Strong Computer skills with a working knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for report writing and presentations.
• Attend periodic training/ seminars pertaining to ISO methods, AOAC International methods, BAM methods
• Mastery of the chemistry of dairy products
• Capacity to audit strategies in term of Hygiene, Safety, Risks and Environment or Laboratory and to analyze, elaborate and present the results and the associated action plans (teams of investigation)
• Master statistics logics necessary to manage metrology, the follow-up of the allegiances of the methods and the validation of the methods of routine versus references
• Ability to develop and implement policies and procedures to investigate and resolve non-compliant quality issues.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate travel to all USA labs, report of their compliance against the Lactalis testing expectations (SOPs, reproducibility, etc.). Create a force of proposal for improvement and follow up.
• As a Lactalis laboratory accredited auditor, you will plan, organize and perform lab audits for all internal and external labs used by Lactalis in USA, follow up on all corrective actions noted during auditing, make proposals for acceptance (or not) of new external labs (chemistry and micro), based on audit results and compliance within Lactalis protocols.
• Responsibility of “Lab relay” for the USA (that includes plants laboratories, such as LAG, LUSY, Karoun, and LHD); travel to all laboratories in the US to bring testing methods according to the Lactalis standards. Will organize bi-weekly teams meetings with each lab, following on corrective actions and updates on progress
• Responsibility of the integration of any new labs, as Lactalis pursue new acquisitions, as they will need to be transitioned into Lactalis Lab procedures and protocols.
• Manage the Lactalis Cecalait verification system with all laboratories, helping to troubleshoot when out of compliance
• Contribute to ongoing meetings such as : Monthly Teams Meeting with Groupe Lactalis (France), Quarterly meetings with each division Quality leader about lab progress, Quarterly meetings with each division VP Quality.
• Provide recommendations for new alternative test methods, thus improving lab efficiencies
• Maintain communications with Groupe Lactalis: reports and KPIs to DQG in Laval, attend annual group Lactalis seminars for Laboratory and R&D updates and incorporate them into US Lab practices

Benefits

• At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options.
• We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one.
• We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement.
• Join us and grow your career.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed