Plant Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager

Smithfield Foods•Sioux Falls, SD

About The Position

The Plant Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager leads the plant’s Food Safety and Quality Assurance Department to ensure safe, high-quality products that meet customer expectations. The role is accountable for ensuring that food safety systems are properly written, validated, documented, and implemented in compliance with USDA and FDA requirements. The manager also oversees the plant’s Quality System and provides leadership to achieve company, plant, and department goals through management, evaluation, and improvement strategies. The position verifies regulatory, food safety, and quality programs; investigates product and process failures; directs corrective actions; and supports continuous improvement. It oversees sanitation programs and verification, including microbiological sampling, and manages the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the SQF System and related plans. The manager also supervises Food Safety and Quality staff, including their performance, schedules, assignments, training, and development. The position reports to the Plant Manager, Corporate Food Safety Manager, and Corporate Quality Assurance Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 5 or more years of food-industry experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 2 years of experience in a leadership position, 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.
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, and word-processing software, as well as QMS systems and SAP.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Excellent planning and organizational skills, with demonstrated multitasking and project-management abilities.
Ability to complete applicable forms in English and to read and write in English.
Ability to work well with others in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and build respectful, approachable, team-oriented working relationships.
Ability to perform the essential duties, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of quality assurance principles, food science and meat processing, SPC, and statistics.
USDA/HACCP certification.
SQF Certified Expert credential.

Responsibilities

Verify that Food Safety, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory programs are functioning as designed, followed, and documented.
Ensure USDA regulatory compliance through scientifically defensible decisions that support operational productivity and efficiency.
Investigate product or process failures, determine root causes, and implement prompt corrective actions while minimizing product exposure and production downtime.
Revise and update food safety and quality programs and procedures as directed.
Prepare and execute USDA daily verification tasks and participate in third-party audits and USDA food safety system assessments; take corrective action on 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 drive continuous improvement through plans, process controls, training, and adherence to specifications.
Design and oversee the facility sanitation program, including authoring a written USDA regulatory program, tracking sanitation performance, training applicable production personnel, and meeting with the USDA about sanitation findings.
Ensure operational and pre-operational sanitation is acceptable; develop and implement verification activities, including microbiological sampling.
Respond to negative microbiological and shelf-life data to improve sanitation and product quality, including auditing equipment cleanliness before operations begin.
Manage daily activities, training, and development of Food Safety and Quality staff; document corrective actions and follow-up, and conduct GMP and sanitation audits.
Create and maintain the SQF Quality Plan and reassess it when processing steps change, a new product introduces processing steps not currently covered, and at least annually.
Oversee development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the SQF System, including food safety fundamentals, the food safety plan, and the food quality plan; take action to maintain system integrity and communicate essential information to relevant personnel.
Manage staff performance plans and reviews, work schedules, and assignments.
Provide leadership and guidance to Food Safety and Quality Assurance employees; carry out supervisory responsibilities including interviewing, hiring, training, assigning and directing work, performance appraisal, recognition and discipline, and addressing complaints.
Complete or delegate required duties during the absence of key personnel, as applicable.
Travel up to 10% of the time; may work long hours and weekends.
Perform other duties as assigned.