Manufacturing Customer Quality, Manager

External•Philadelphia, PA

15h

About The Position

The Manufacturing Customer Quality Manager is responsible for leading customer quality performance within the manufacturing environment. This role serves as the primary interface between manufacturing sites and customers on quality-related matters, ensuring customer requirements are understood, implemented, and consistently met. The position drives customer complaint reduction, manages customer audits and scorecards, and leads corrective and preventive actions to protect customer trust and brand integrity. Reporting to the Director , Manufacturing Quality the Manufacturing Customer Quality Manager owns the day to day customer rejections, customer complaints, consumer complaints, and the corrective action follow through for each of these processes.

Requirements

BS Degree in Food Science , Quality, or related field.
5 + years of experience in quality, food safety, or manufacturing operations within food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods.
Direct experience managing customer quality issues, audits, and complaint resolution.
Experience working in a manufacturing environment .
Strong knowledge of food safety and quality systems, including HACCP, GMPs, and GFSI standards.
Experience with customer audits, scorecards, and performance management.
Proven root cause analysis and corrective action expertise .
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence across functions.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex regulatory information and translate it into actionable guidance.
Proven capability to manage projects end-to-end and drive results in ambiguous or rapidly changing environments.
Ability to educate, train, and “sell” compliance programs and continuous improvement initiatives to stakeholders.
H igh learning agility and resilience in the face of setbacks or incomplete information.
Strong conflict management and problem-solving skills grounded in data and process thinking.
Willingness to flex schedule as business needs require.
Ability to travel up to 30 %.

Nice To Haves

HACCP or PCQI certification preferred.
Experience supporting major retail or QSR customers preferred
Proficiency with standard computer applications (Google Workspace, Microsoft Suite).

Responsibilities

Customer Quality Leadership Serve as the primary point of contact for customer quality issues related to manufacturing.
Translate customer quality, food safety, and regulatory requirements into actionable manufacturing standards and practices.
Advocate for the customer within manufacturing while balancing operational and business needs.
Customer Complaints & Issue Resolution Lead investigation and resolution of customer complaints, including root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions.
Ensure timely , accurate , and professional responses to customers in alignment with agreed service level expectations.
Analyze complaint trends and partner with operations and quality teams to drive systemic improvements leveraging AI and technology to identify trends quickly
Customer Audits & Scorecards Lead preparation for and execution of customer audits at manufacturing facilities as it pertains to manufacturing quality ( e.g. meeting customer specifications on quality parameters)
Coordinate responses to audit findings, including corrective action plans and effectiveness verification as it pertains to manufacturing quality Own customer quality scorecards, performance metrics, and continuous improvement plans.
Serves as the primary subject matter expert for regulatory requirements including, but not limited to: food safety, food defense, labeling, ingredients, formulations, allergens, standards of identity, nutrition, claims, net weight, processing, environmental, regulatory bodies (USDA and FDA), OSHA, EPA, ESG, and social responsibility.
Manufacturing Quality Systems Partner with plant quality and operations teams to ensure robust execution of quality and food safety programs.
Monitor adherence to customer specifications, process controls, and finished product quality customer requirements.
Support change management activities, including new product introductions, formula changes, and process modifications.
Work closely with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Product Development , and Food Safety teams to align on customer expectations.
Continuous Improvement & Risk Management Use data and KPIs to identify risks and opportunities impacting customer quality.
Lead or support continuous improvement initiatives focused on defect reduction, right-first-time manufacturing, and customer satisfaction.
Ensure lessons learned are shared across sites and embedded into standard practices.