Plant Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager

Smithfield Foods•Sioux Falls, SD

About The Position

The Plant Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager manages the plant’s Food Safety and Quality Assurance Department to provide safe, high-quality products that meet customer expectations. The role is accountable for ensuring the food safety system is properly written, validated, documented, and implemented in compliance with USDA and FDA regulations and for maintaining the plant’s Quality System. The manager provides leadership to achieve company, plant, and department goals and improve quality and profitability. This position reports to the Plant Manager, the Corporate Food Safety Manager, and the Corporate Quality Assurance Manager. The manager verifies that food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory programs are functioning as designed, followed, and documented. The role investigates failures, determines root causes, implements corrective actions, prepares for and executes USDA verification tasks and third-party audits, and maintains working relationships with USDA representatives. It also leads continuous improvement, sanitation programs and verification, microbiological and shelf-life response, SQF system maintenance, and the daily management and development of Food Safety and Quality staff. The position works in both office and plant settings. Plant conditions may include wet or humid areas, extreme cold or heat, moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, chemicals, and production-area noise. Travel of up to 10% may be required; long hours and weekends may also be required. Relocation package available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 5+ years of food industry experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 2 years of leadership experience, including team development and management.
In-depth understanding of microbiological testing and limited chemistry testing.
Knowledge of pathogens and microbes associated with food production.
Hands-on experience conducting microbiological testing of meat and poultry products.
Comprehensive knowledge of USDA, FSIS, HACCP, and SSOP requirements.
Ability to uphold regulatory, company, and customer standards.
Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
Knowledge of database, inventory, manufacturing, spreadsheet, word processing, QMS, and SAP software.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Excellent planning and organizational skills, with demonstrated multitasking and project management skills.
Ability to complete applicable forms in English, including reading and writing in English.
Ability to work well with others in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Ability to be respectful, approachable, and team-oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily; reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform essential functions.
May be required to work long hours and weekends.
Must be able to travel up to 10% of the time.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of quality assurance principles, food science and meat processing, statistical process control (SPC), and statistics.
USDA/HACCP certification.
SQF Certified Expert certification.

Responsibilities

Verify that Food Safety, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory programs are functioning as designed, followed, and correctly documented.
Make scientifically defensible decisions to ensure USDA compliance while avoiding unjustified reductions in productivity or efficiency.
Investigate product or process failures, determine root causes, and take prompt corrective action while minimizing product exposure and production downtime.
Revise and update food safety and quality programs and procedures as directed.
Prepare for and execute USDA daily verification tasks, third-party audits, and USDA food safety system assessments; take corrective action in response to findings.
Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with the USDA.
Work with Food Safety and Quality Assurance staff and Operations to prevent HACCP, SSOP, process, and product failures and improve product quality through plans, controls, training, and attention to process and specifications.
Design the facility sanitation program, including authoring a written USDA regulatory program, tracking sanitation performance, training applicable production personnel, and regularly meeting with the USDA about sanitation findings.
Ensure operational and pre-operational sanitation is acceptable; develop verification activities, including microbiological sampling, and respond to negative microbiological and shelf-life data.
Manage the daily activities, training, and development of Food Safety and Quality staff.
Document corrective actions and follow-up, and conduct GMP and sanitation audits.
Audit and scrutinize equipment cleanliness before operations to drive improvement in response to negative microbiological and shelf-life data.
Create and maintain the SQF Quality Plan and reassess it when processing steps change, new products introduce previously unassessed processing steps, and at least annually.
Oversee development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the SQF System, including its food safety fundamentals, food safety plan, and food quality plan.
Take appropriate action to maintain the integrity of the SQF System and communicate information essential to its effective implementation and maintenance.
Manage performance plans and reviews, work schedules, and assignments for Food Safety staff.
Provide leadership and guidance to Food Safety and Quality Assurance employees and carry out supervisory responsibilities, including interviewing, hiring, training, assigning and directing work, evaluating performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints, and assisting with resolutions.
Travel up to 10% of the time and work long hours or weekends when required.
Complete applicable forms in English and perform other duties as assigned.