Quality Manager

Lactalis LHD • Wausau, WI

20h

About The Position

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose. At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed. As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together. In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®. At Lactalis, we live by our core values— Ambition, Engagement , and Simplicity . We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued. Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy. From your PASSION to ours Lactalis Heritage Dairy, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Quality Manager based in Wausau, WI. As a Quality Manager, the role will carry out responsibilities such as but not limited to overseeing the plant’s food safety & quality programs: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Good Sanitation Practices (GSPs), quality of conformity, and quality of services. The Plant Quality Manager inspects and audits the operation in all phases of quality performance. Represents the plant during inspections and audits with customers, third parties and regulatory agencies. Additionally, the Quality Manager will collaborate with plant leaders to align duties with the company's goals and values.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Majors in microbiology, food science, dairy science or life sciences are required.
• 7+ years food manufacturing experience is required.
• 5+ years’ experience leading direct-reporting team members.
• Solid knowledge of GFSI, HACCP, US food regulations is required.

Nice To Haves

• Dairy/cheese experience is preferred.
• Knowledge of Cheese chemistry is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Implements and manages the execution of the Groupe Lactalis Quality Policy.
• Partners with plant management to develop and implement plant quality programs and processes.
• Maintains, and improves the quality management systems (HACCP, FSSC22000).
• Assesses food safety and quality risks & recommends mitigation strategies in collaboration with production, sanitation and maintenance.
• Maintains appropriate records that support a robust food safety program (e.g. HACCP and pre-requisite programs) and other documentation to support compliance with policies and procedures.
• Conducts effective root cause analysis on food safety and quality issues, implements corrective and preventative actions.
• Implements process control limits and applies in-process corrective actions when needed.
• Reviews in-process testing requirements for production of consistent products.
• Oversees the plant laboratory.
• Partners with Lab Manager to ensure all micro and analytical tests are carried out in a timely manner.
• Maintain a close working relationship with the Corporate Lab Relay and external laboratory.
• Oversees pest control program and serves as liaison with vendor; ensures program is appropriately managed by the sanitation team.
• Oversees the sanitation, environmental and plant sensory programs; ensures all related activities including sampling and tasting sessions are performed on schedule.
• Review and maintain all product specifications in collaboration with the Production Manager.
• Ensures ingredient non-conformance reports are completed and communicated to appropriate parties and the supplier.
• Visits and/or audits the 2nd and/or 3rd shift practices on a minimum quarterly basis.
• Oversees site vendor performance meets quality expectations with non-conformance reports and corrective actions as appropriate.
• Participates in the preparation of operation shut down weeks, engineering projects, sanitation and start up practices prior to resuming production.
• Establishes and enforces quality standards and specifications with vendors in collaboration with Purchasing, R&D, and Corporate Quality.
• Reviews consumer and customer complaints and works cross-functionally to decrease them.
• Primary interface with routine & non-routine regulatory agency representatives at the facility.
• Provides timely and effective regulatory response to inquiries.
• Communicates with all necessary parties (employees, plant management, etc.) on regulation changes related to Quality and Food Safety.
• Creates appropriate documentation and develops local policies to support compliance to policies and procedures.
• Prepares and leads FSSC22000 certification audits, customer, and other third-party audits. This includes ensuring site preparedness, completion of CAPAs and completion of reports post audit in addition to developing and training the plant internal auditors.
• Maintains a close partnership with cross-functional teams both internally (Materials, Operations, HR, Maintenance, EHS, Engineering and Plant Controller) and externally (Corporate Quality and Groupe Lactalis Quality).

Benefits

• At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options.
• We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one.
• We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager