Quality Assurance Manager

Join the Our Talent Network•West Seneca, NY

15d•Onsite

About The Position

Upstate Niagara Cooperative, a dairy cooperative owned by over 200 local family farms, is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager to oversee all Plant Quality Assurance (QA) activities. This role ensures compliance with company and regulatory requirements, focusing on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Sanitation Practices (GSP), product conformity, and service quality. The Quality Assurance Manager is a key member of the Plant’s management team, reporting to the Manager of Corporate Quality Assurance and functionally to the Plant Manager. This position plays a crucial role in representing Corporate QA at the Plant level and driving continuous improvement in product and process quality, supporting the company's mission to deliver fresh, local dairy products.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in Food, Dairy, or Natural Sciences from a four-year college or university; OR Equivalent combination of education (minimum AAS) and relevant experience.
Five to seven years of related experience and/or training in the Food and Beverage industry.
Active involvement in Quality Programs is required.
Previous supervisory experience is required.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and government regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Strong presentation skills and ability to respond to questions from managers, clients, and customers.
Strong personal computer skills.
Familiarity with GMP, GSP, SQF (Level 3), HACCP, and related federal/state regulations.
Ability to design, implement, and maintain quality assurance programs (e.g., Hold Policy, Recall Policy, Pathogen Testing, Customer Complaint Resolution).
Proven ability to lead QA teams, train staff, coordinate efforts with Plant Management, and communicate effectively at all levels.
Skilled in reviewing/auditing procedures, identifying nonconformances, and implementing corrective actions.
Frequently required to speak and be able to perceive and understand spoken instructions, alarms, and other important sounds in the workplace.
Must regularly lift/move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally up to 55 pounds.
Requires close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
Regularly exposed to wet/humid conditions.
Occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and toxic/caustic chemicals.
Moderate noise level in the work environment.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with ISO Quality Management Systems, HACCP, and statistical process control is preferred.
Occasionally required to stand, reach with hands/arms, and climb or balance.

Responsibilities

Develop and Implement a Plant Quality Plan, defining the quality function’s role and communicating it to all facility associates for continuous improvement.
Serve as Facility SQF Practitioner, maintaining SQF Level 3 certification and managing continuous improvement programs.
Review and Audit Manufacturing Procedures to ensure compliance with established practices and procedures, identifying and addressing nonconformances.
Ensure Regulatory Compliance by staying current on Federal and State requirements and representing the facility during inspections and audits.
Maintain and Enforce GMP Guidelines in collaboration with Plant Management and Corporate QA.
Oversee Sanitation Practices, establishing, validating, and auditing sanitation programs.
Manage Product Specifications and Documentation, establishing systems to control and document product release, holds, and disposition.
Provide Leadership for the Laboratory, ensuring proper training and supervision of Laboratory Associates and participating in routine lab activities.
Collaborate on Incoming Goods and Raw Materials Assessments, developing quality assessment procedures and enforcing quality standards with vendors.
Develop and Monitor Quality Department Budget, analyzing and reporting on budget status.
Establish Training Programs to continually monitor the effectiveness of training for Operations and Quality personnel.
Implement Programs Supporting Upstate Niagara’s Commitment to Product Excellence.
Establish Plant Quality Metrics in cooperation with Corporate QA and issue Weekly Plant Quality Reports.
Represent the Plant in weekly and quarterly Quality Committee meetings.
Maintain Log of Concessions and communicate concessions effectively to Corporate Quality.
Design and Implement Quality Programs as required by Corporate QA (e.g., Hold Policy, Recall Policy, Pathogen Testing, Customer Complaint Resolution, HACCP).