Quality and Sanitation Manager

Aspen Enterprises LTD•San Antonio, TX

20d

About The Position

The Quality and Sanitation Manager is a senior leadership position on the site Senior Leadership Team and reports to the Director of Quality Control. The role is accountable for delivering the site's Quality Management and Food Safety System through GFSI-aligned certification, including quality assurance, quality control, quality improvement, customer and complaints management, non-conformance management, and supplier non-conformance management. It also supports and governs site ethical and other certifications, including Organic, Kosher, Halal, Rainforest Alliance, and Fairtrade. The role leads implementation and ongoing validation of the site's hygiene and sanitation program, managing the sanitation team and collaborating with external sanitation service providers. It also oversees the Quality Control program and laboratory activities, supports quality improvement and product innovation, and develops the Quality team and site quality and food safety culture. The position requires strong people leadership, budget management, and an active presence in both office and plant environments.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a science-based field.
At least 5 years of experience in Quality Management.
SQF, HACCP, PCQI, and Lead Auditor certifications.
Ability to evaluate circumstances objectively and make fact-based decisions.
Ability to lead, motivate, and manage a team effectively.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for interacting with customers and team members.
Strong interpersonal skills to build positive relationships with customers and staff.
Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, including handling escalated issues.
Ability to analyze performance metrics and customer feedback to drive improvements.
Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities in a complex environment.
Commitment to excellent customer service and improving customer satisfaction.
Experience training and developing team members.
Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends if necessary.
Ability to work in both office and plant environments, maintain a strong floor presence, and communicate and collaborate with team members and other departments.
Adequate vision, hearing, and verbal communication skills to meet essential performance and safety standards.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and perform tasks involving pushing, pulling, lifting, climbing, bending, stooping, squatting, and detailed hand use.
Ability to safely lift up to 50 pounds frequently; heavier items require appropriate lifting equipment or team assistance.
Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with potential exposure to odors, dust, moderate noise, temperature and ventilation fluctuations, and inclement weather.
Ability to wear required personal protective equipment, which may include safety glasses, steel-toed shoes, gloves, hairnets, uniforms, and face shields.
Adherence to GMP, allergen control, food defense, HACCP, SQF, regulatory, and health and safety requirements; prompt reporting of quality and food safety issues; and participation in continuous improvement programs.

Nice To Haves

Additional certification related to Food Defense and Food Fraud.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, execute, and improve quality systems covering consistent quality, food safety, allergen management, food defense, and food fraud, aligned with GFSI certification.
Maintain external certifications for the Quality System, including consumer-focused and religious certifications such as Organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, Kosher, and Halal.
Manage HACCP and prerequisite food safety programs across raw materials, packaging materials, and final packaged products.
Participate in the Food Safety Team, or lead it when the Quality Specialist is acquiring the necessary capability.
Manage documentation and recordkeeping, non-conformance management and associated costs, customer complaints, audit programs, incident management, and validation and verification programs.
Manage customer quality and technical requirements and collaborate with Commercial to build enduring partnerships with strategic customers.
Lead problem solving in accordance with documented protocols and support root cause investigations.
Support management of suppliers, third-party co-packers, and co-manufacturing partnerships.
Support regulatory and legal compliance for food manufacturing and food safety, including Quality Legal Registers and the Agrochemical and Contaminants Policy.
Develop, implement, and monitor the Master Cleaning Schedule and verify associated records for scheduled cleaning activities.
Establish and maintain the site Sanitation Plan, including supporting processes, procedures, and SSOPs.
Develop and document effective cleaning and sanitation procedures for new plant equipment and plant modifications.
Lead root cause problem solving and corrective and preventative measures related to plant hygiene and continuous improvement.
Manage laboratory analysis to produce repeatable, reproducible, and reliable results that inform production and final-product quality decisions.
Implement analytical and sensory methods and validation and verification programs, including reference control, calibration, ring testing, and equipment maintenance.
Use monitoring and measurement programs and visual management to support process control and quality improvement.
Support Commercial, R&D, and Innovation (NPD), as applicable.
Manage operational budgets within target and plan and manage capital expenditure projects, particularly laboratory requirements.
Ensure laboratory data storage and recordkeeping allow information retrieval and traceability; adapt laboratory strategy and execution to maintain capability and customer focus.
Implement and manage quality activities conducted at source by Operations.
Work with Operations to lead and support quality improvement projects using science-based problem solving and focused improvement.
Support and, where appropriate, lead product development and innovation projects.
Participate in commissioning new products and processes to assure quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance.
Support operationalization and training of Quality programs and lead transitions to online or inline monitoring where appropriate.
Develop the team through leadership, strategy, capability frameworks, and competency development; manage performance, recognition, and underperformance.
Develop succession and people-cover plans, strengthen site Quality and Food Safety culture, and engage with external stakeholders and industry leaders.
Set objectives and deliverables with direct reports, conduct one-on-ones and performance reviews, and create personal development plans as required.
Assign challenging tasks, hold team members accountable, and resolve conflicts through listening, mediation, and decision-making.
Collaborate with the Plant Manager and site leadership and management teams, including through Gemba walks, leadership meetings, and site initiatives.
Work flexibly, including evenings or weekends if necessary, and adjust schedules or work additional hours to support team goals and deadlines.