Quality Assurance Supervisor

Stratas Foods•Decatur, IL

About The Position

The Quality Assurance Supervisor oversees quality assurance activities across multiple shifts, including laboratory operations, quality testing, inspections, and verification of plant programs. The role works closely with Production and other departments to ensure quality and food safety programs, procedures, and standards are consistently followed. The Supervisor provides direction and support to QA personnel across three shifts, promotes accountability and effective communication, and helps identify and address quality issues to support safe, consistent, high-quality production. The position also oversees laboratory needs and equipment, reviews quality and production records, supports audits and continuous improvement, and ensures effective shift handoffs and QA coverage. Work takes place in a manufacturing environment and includes indoor and outdoor conditions.

Requirements

High school diploma is required.
Experience with laboratory work and/or quality assurance in food packaging is required.
Three to five years of supervisory or leadership experience is required.
PC literacy and working knowledge of MS Office and Outlook are required.
Must possess strong leadership ability and self-motivation.
Strong organizational skills to maintain multiple programs.
Good communication skills and the ability to work as a team with plant personnel.
Ability to set and achieve goals related to safety, quality, and production.
Ability to hold QA personnel accountable for assigned responsibilities and established procedures.
Ability to drive consistent QA expectations and practices across all shifts.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, climb stairs, bend, kneel, walk and stand for extended periods, work in confined spaces, and work at heights.
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in a manufacturing environment, including exposure to noise, dust, weather, and potential hazards.
Good listening skills and public speaking abilities to communicate with hourly and salaried personnel.
Appropriate sensory awareness, including sight, hearing, and touch, to respond to plant conditions, alarms, and environmental changes.
Ability to perform root cause analysis and corrective action.
Ability to continuously learn and adapt to business changes related to SMOs and DSMs.
Must consent to and pass a background check and drug screen.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in food science, chemistry, biology, or a related field; relevant experience may also be considered.
PCQI certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

Supervise and direct QA personnel across multiple shifts to ensure consistent execution of quality and food safety requirements.
Plan and coordinate daily QA activities, staffing, coverage, priorities, and shift assignments.
Communicate significant quality, food safety, and production concerns to QA and plant leadership in a timely manner.
Work with plant and QA leadership to address areas needing improvement.
Analyze laboratory training, staffing, and equipment needs.
Maintain communication between QA shifts regarding issues, priorities, and follow-up activities.
Review and approve direct-report timecards.
Identify quality and food safety issues, initiate containment, and ensure timely escalation when necessary.
Investigate deviations, review batch sheets, and approve deviations when warranted.
Represent the QA department, as needed by the QA Manager, during audits, inspections, and meetings.
Monitor production activities and verify compliance with product specifications, GMPs, food safety requirements, and company procedures.
Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair laboratory equipment.
Manage product disposition in the M3 ERP system.
Take responsibility for laboratory safety.
Monitor quality trends and use data to identify improvement opportunities.
Support continuous improvement initiatives to reduce quality incidents, customer complaints, waste, and repeat issues.
Schedule preventive maintenance for laboratory equipment, including DU 620, Minispec, and NIR equipment.
Ensure effective shift handoffs and continuity of QA coverage across operating shifts.
Inform QA and production teams of new product specifications and changes to existing specifications.
Write new procedures and update procedure books.
Participate in customer and third-party audits.
Determine laboratory equipment needs and write AFEs when needed.
Review line paperwork, including weight sheets, line QA records, and metal detection records with HACCP sign-off.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.