MQ Lead I - Weekend E Shift

Now Foods•Bloomingdale, IL

About The Position

The MQ Lead I coordinates inspection activities for the assigned shift, including material disposition, inspection team task assignments, and ensuring sampling and inspection supplies are available. The role investigates customer complaints, nonconformances, deviations, and manufacturing issues; conducts inspections and internal cGMP audits; tracks holds and deviations; and supports production teams with troubleshooting and rework coordination. The MQ Lead I also reviews documentation, releases materials, updates departmental procedures, and completes required records in LIMS and Oracle. This position supports the development of MQ employees through training, mentoring, and skills development, and works with supervisors to identify training gaps and ensure required training is current. The role contributes to safety, continuous improvement, operational goal setting, and departmental metrics, and may participate in Tier II meetings when supervisors and the MQ Lead II are absent. The position requires collaboration with Production and other teams, sound judgment on corrective actions, and adherence to food safety, GMP, SOP, and safety requirements. The role requires work in a manufacturing facility, including handling products in raw-material, work-in-progress, and finished-product forms. The employee must be able to work a flexible schedule that may include off shifts and weekends and travel to other facilities.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent and at least five years of quality-related experience, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
Experience in quality processes, inspection, and a GMP environment.
Comprehensive knowledge of work centers within the area of responsibility and ability to work in trained MQ Inspection areas as departmental needs require.
Strong technical writing skills, including writing quality sections of quality nonconformances.
Food safety and regulatory knowledge.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to investigate issues, determine root cause, document effective corrective actions, and make decisions on immediate corrective actions.
Excellent communication and listening skills, team-building abilities, and ability to motivate and lead staff.
Effective time-management skills and ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with urgency and flexibility.
Leadership, training, coaching, and mentoring skills, including ability to train employees on current and new procedures and use KPIs for data-driven decisions.
Ability to collaborate effectively with Production and engage employees and cross-functional teams in a personable and welcoming manner.
Ability to manage conflict compassionately and demonstrate responsible, ethical, honest conduct while maintaining strict confidentiality.
Ability to read and interpret product specifications, departmental instructions, and procedure manuals; write emails; and accurately complete documentation.
Ability to apply fractions, percentages, averages, ratios, proportions, and the metric system to practical situations.
Ability to compare results against specifications, interpret varied instructions, and investigate situations to determine root cause.
Excellent computer skills with Microsoft Word and Excel.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including off shifts and weekends, and travel to other facilities.
Ability to meet the described physical demands, including standing and walking throughout the facility, using stairs, bending and squatting, handling and inspecting products, and lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, and moving specified loads.

Nice To Haves

Additional post-secondary education in a science field.
Prior team leadership experience.
Previous dietary supplement industry experience.
Bilingual verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

Coordinate inspection activities on the assigned shift, including dispositioning materials.
Perform inspections and ensure adequate materials and supplies are available for sampling and inspections.
Delegate daily assignments for the MQ Inspection team.
Conduct and document investigations, close nonconformance investigations, and assist MQ Inspectors with investigations.
Assist with customer complaint investigations.
Conduct internal audits for cGMP compliance.
Track deviations and holds and ensure they are completed on time.
Perform root-cause analysis on manufacturing nonconformances and provide long-term preventive measures.
Assist Packaging and Processing departments with troubleshooting and resolving daily issues.
Coordinate rework implementation with Production personnel and track lots on hold.
Assist management with departmental monthly metrics.
Identify and immediately notify management of actual or potential food safety issues, and resolve issues within the scope of work.
Train, mentor, and develop MQ employees; follow up with team members and ensure they receive appropriate guidance, training, and resources.
Work with the supervisor to identify training gaps and ensure employees are current on required training.
Review and update departmental standard operating procedures to ensure cGMP compliance.
Complete necessary documentation, including LIMS and Oracle entries; review documentation for completeness and GMP/SOP compliance.
Release materials for use and review associated documentation for completeness.
Participate in Tier II meetings when the supervisor and MQ Lead II are absent.
Assist with continuous improvement efforts to enhance safety, quality, production methods, equipment performance, and efficiency.
Assist with the skills development of MQ Inspectors and Samplers.
Comply with safety and GMP requirements, use required personal protective equipment, report incidents and hazards, and participate in safety activities.
Collaborate with Production and cross-functional teams, model company values and policies, and maintain confidentiality.