Quality Assurance and Lab Manager

Mondelēz International•East Moriches, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

You lead the product quality agenda for Tate’s Bake Shop and oversee the quality lab and its technicians while collaborating cross-functionally to drive Quality and Food Safety culture across the business. You will lead the Quality and the Lab at Tate’s Bake Shop on Long Island, New York. You will leverage and deploy global and regional quality and food safety programs and policies to ensure product quality standards and consumer satisfaction are met. In addition, you will oversee and develop a team of quality assurance technicians, ensuring they have the tools and training needed to drive quality assurance consistently. In this role, you will also support the effective management of quality specs at Tate’s, influencing and partnering with cross-functional peers, effectively communicating how superior product quality supports our company values, and drive quality food safety culture across the organization.

Requirements

Quality and Food Safety Leadership to grow site Quality Culture along with demonstrated experience and knowledge in the following:
Foundational knowledge of food safety/HACCP
Experience in high regulatory standards environment
Self-motivated; strong ability to work independently with limited supervision
Fundamental understanding of quality systems, spec management, product testing, traceability and building quality culture
Strong team leadership skills, remaining conscientious of team morale and driving site culture
Proactive, self-driven and action-oriented
Results-focused, balancing short and long-term goals. Motivated by achievement, and persists until goals are reached, conveying a sense of urgency.
Ability to influence, engage, and motivate site teams (operations, maintenance, sanitation) to execute quality initiatives and deliver strong results
Ability to collaborate with cross-functional partners
Engages key stakeholders in strategy alignment and implementation
The ability to digest large, complex volumes of information and summarize for wide dissemination
Solution-oriented mind set with strong problem solving and communication skills
Highly proficient computer (MS Office – Excel) and Communication skills (Verbal and Written) are required.
Must be able to read, write, and communicate in English
3 years+ working in a similar role required
Quality experience in food manufacturing
Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with known allergens such as: milk, eggs, nuts (tree nuts), wheat and soy is required

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred; strong relevant experience acceptable
PCQI Certification preferred
Bilingual (Spanish/English) strong preference
Experience in data analysis using tools such as Minitab is preferred
Proven organizational and project management skills
Demonstrated success in influencing teams to implement and execute department strategy
Experience in developing capability in teams: technical and interpersonal skill development
Excellent communication skills and process adherence
Solution-oriented problem solving

Responsibilities

Responsible for managing consumer complaints for the Pine Street facility, including data analysis, trend identification, and communication with site personnel to drive investigations and resolutions.
Communicates to relevant teams and leads complaint investigation, driving Root Cause Analysis and Corrective action planning
Responsible for the control of non-conforming products, including placing materials on hold and releasing them after resolution.
Leads Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations and develops and implements corrective actions (CAPA).
Leads and owns product traceability investigations
Responsible for Finished product specification management.
Own GMP programs and ensure that all GMPs and safety standards are being practiced.
Implement and enforce QA standards, procedures, and best practices to guarantee consistent product quality.
Owns CAPA completion associated with ownership areas
Assist production floor supervisors with any food safety or quality related issues
Collaborate with regulatory and compliance teams to ensure adherence to food safety regulations and industry standards.
Assist with Global QP (Quality Policy) and FSSC updates and training needs
Participate in quality management system reviews and promote quality and food safety policies to all personnel.
Responsible for developing and creating a strong food safety and quality culture at the plant.
Lead and manage the daily activities of the QA laboratory, ensuring efficient and accurate testing processes and allocation of resources.
Ensure adherence to testing protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and safety guidelines.
Train and supervise team of technicians on new testing methods and procedures.
Monitor and analyze lab test results to identify trends, deviations, and potential quality issues
Oversee a wide range of tests, including microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory evaluations of raw materials, intermediate products, finished goods, and utilities as required
Review and interpret test data, ensuring accuracy and reliability, and make informed decisions based on results.
Additional duties assigned by leadership