QA Manager I

ALPLA NOAM•Mcdonough, GA

About The Position

The QA Manager I coordinates and supervises integrated management system (IMS) activities at a manufacturing site to ensure products meet internal, customer, and regulatory expectations. The role assists the Plant Manager with quality-related communications, promotes a quality and continuous-improvement mindset, and leads site quality systems, quality control, laboratory oversight, and the quality team. Performance is assessed by the effectiveness of the site’s Quality Management System and Quality Control program, audit results, customer complaint outcomes, reporting, personnel training, and customer relationship management. The position serves as the site’s lead auditor and primary audit contact, maintaining compliance with applicable quality management and food-safety standards, including ISO 9001 and FSSC 22000. It oversees HACCP and other product-safety risk mitigation practices, quality documentation, reporting, product and packaging specifications, customer compliance documents, supplier quality issues, testing and calibration programs, and qualification activities for new products and equipment. The role leads and develops the quality team, including coordinating staff meetings, assessing and arranging training, supporting recruiting, managing attendance records and disciplinary actions, and conducting annual performance evaluations. It also hosts customer visits, manages customer quality and regulatory communications and complaints, and supports root-cause analysis processes and training across plant departments.

Requirements

A four-year degree in a STEM or technical discipline, or equivalent work experience.
At least five years of work experience in Quality Assurance.
A demonstrated track record of accomplishments as a QA Manager.
Experience with physical laboratory testing equipment, including calipers, scales, digital height gauges, and compression force testing equipment.
Proficiency with Excel, SPC software, Word, and PowerPoint.
Intermediate to advanced statistical knowledge.
Ability to work well with other departments.
Ability to manage customer relationships.
Ability to handle a multitask environment with excellent organizational skills.
Ability to meet the described physical demands, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Experience with a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM).
Experience in a high-speed manufacturing environment.
Significant customer engagement experience.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and supervise site IMS activities to ensure product meets internal, customer, and regulatory expectations.
Assist the Plant Manager with quality-related communications to internal and external customers.
Promote a quality and continuous-improvement mindset within the operation.
Serve as lead auditor and primary site contact for internal, external, customer, and certification audits; prepare for audits and ensure timely closure of findings.
Ensure compliance with quality management system requirements, including ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, and other applicable standards.
Serve as primary practitioner for HACCP and other product-safety risk mitigation programs; support risk assessments and change management.
Report quality and food-safety system data according to corporate procedures, and use data and audit results to drive improvement activities.
Act as the local contact for the document management system and help optimize and standardize plant quality documentation.
Ensure production meets regulatory, internal, and customer product and packaging specifications, and that customer specifications are current and accessible.
Ensure required customer compliance documents, such as certificates of analysis, are issued.
Assist operations with new product and equipment qualification and verification activities.
Document and report supplier quality issues and support the Logistics team in resolving complaints.
Oversee the plant quality control program, including test equipment operation, calibration and verification, product testing, data collection and integrity, and rework management.
Ensure production-floor quality-testing personnel are trained and qualified, directly or in support of a Quality Supervisor when applicable.
Ensure quality-laboratory testing personnel are trained and qualified, directly or in support of a Quality Supervisor when applicable.
Hold regularly scheduled quality staff meetings and promote effective collaboration within the team.
Assess staff training needs and ensure training is completed.
Ensure quality-team time and attendance are recorded; recruit employees with HR support; take disciplinary actions; and conduct annual performance evaluations.
Host periodic customer visits and serve as the primary contact for quality- and regulatory-related customer communications.
Manage the customer complaint process, apply appropriate root-cause analysis techniques, and ensure complaints are recorded in applicable global, regional, and local systems.
Support root-cause analysis processes and training for other plant departments.
Perform the role safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, following ALPLA policies, procedures, and OSHA safety standards.