MQ Lead- D shift

Now Foods•Bloomingdale, IL

17h

About The Position

The MQ Lead coordinates inspection activities for the assigned shift and supports quality, food safety, and operational performance. The role investigates customer complaints, non-conformances, and deviations; performs inspections and internal audits; reviews documentation; and works with operations and manufacturing support personnel to resolve quality issues and recommend corrective actions. The MQ Lead also coordinates employee training and development, supports continuous improvement initiatives, and helps maintain GMP and SOP compliance. The position requires working across MQ Inspection work centers as trained, coordinating sampling and inspection resources, assigning daily tasks, and supporting inspectors and samplers. The MQ Lead assists with investigations, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, rework coordination, materials disposition and release, and tracking deviations, holds, and on-hold lots. The role also supports departmental metrics, SOP updates, safety activities, and operational meetings when supervisors or the MQ Lead II are absent. The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and at least five years of quality-related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in quality processes, inspection, and a GMP environment is required. Additional post-secondary science education, prior team leadership, and dietary supplement industry experience are strongly preferred. The role requires strong technical writing, food safety and regulatory knowledge, problem-solving, communication, leadership, coaching, time management, computer, and documentation skills. A flexible schedule, including off shifts and weekends, and travel to other facilities may be required. The work involves regularly standing or walking throughout a facility, using stairs, bending and squatting, handling and inspecting products and equipment, entering information into a computer, and using smell and accurate color perception to assess products. Regular lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, sliding, and moving of items is required, including items weighing up to 50 pounds and moving a pallet.

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.
Knowledge of food safety and regulatory requirements.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to investigate issues, determine root causes, document effective corrective actions, and independently close investigations.
Excellent communication and listening skills and the ability to work with a diverse team.
Leadership, training, coaching, and team-building skills, including the ability to motivate and develop staff and use KPIs to support data-driven decisions.
Ability to collaborate effectively with Production and cross-functional teams, handle conflict constructively, and maintain personable and welcoming interactions.
Effective time-management skills and ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with urgency and flexibility.
Ability to lead by example and adhere to company policies, procedures, safety regulations, and core values.
Responsible, ethical, and honest conduct and strict confidentiality of information.
Ability to read and interpret product specifications, departmental instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write emails and accurately and truthfully complete documentation.
Excellent verbal communication and active listening skills.
Ability to apply fractions, percentages, averages, ratios, proportions, and the metric system to practical situations.
Ability to compare results with specifications, interpret varied instructions, and determine root causes.
Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including off shifts and weekends, and travel to other facilities.
Ability to talk and hear; stand or walk throughout a facility; climb or descend stairs; bend and squat; use hands to inspect, handle, and feel; reach; use a computer; and handle products in raw-material, work-in-progress, and finished-product forms.
Ability to use the sense of smell and accurate color perception for product inspection and visual quality assessment.
Ability to lift 5 pounds from the ground to 61 inches and return; push with 30 pounds of force for up to 25 feet and pull to start; lift 35 pounds from 5 inches off the ground to 48 inches overhead and return; lift and carry 50 pounds from waist height for 5 feet and back; and lift and move a pallet from the floor onto its side for 10 feet and back.

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 supplies and materials are available for sampling and inspection.
Delegate daily task assignments for the MQ Inspection team.
Conduct, document, and close investigations, including nonconformance investigations, within established timelines.
Assist MQ Inspectors with investigations and support customer complaint investigations.
Conduct internal audits for cGMP compliance.
Track deviations and holds and ensure they are completed in a timely manner.
Perform root-cause analysis on manufacturing nonconformances and establish long-term preventive action measures.
Assist Packaging and Processing departments with troubleshooting and resolving daily issues.
Coordinate rework with Production personnel and track lots on hold.
Assist management with monthly departmental 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, including new employees; follow up on progress and ensure employees receive appropriate guidance and resources.
Work with the supervisor to incorporate training gaps into training plans and ensure employees are current on required training.
Review and update departmental SOPs to maintain cGMP compliance.
Complete required documentation, including LIMS and Oracle entries, and 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.
Support continuous improvement efforts that improve safety, quality, production methods, equipment performance, and efficiency.
Assist with the skills development of MQ Inspectors and Samplers.
Comply with safety and GMP requirements; report workplace incidents, hazards, and concerns, and use required personal protective equipment.
Support safe production practices and participate in safety activities and teams.