Quality Manager - Essentia

Lauridsen Group • Lytton, IA

8h

About The Position

The Quality Manager manages Essentia's quality/food safety function and is an active member of the site leadership team, including collaboration with cross-functional and corporate partners to drive continuous improvement in food safety and quality operations and in support of key plant objectives; providing timely and accurate technical information as needed to internal and external customers; and management of all plant quality systems to ensure customer and internal requirements are met, appropriate processes are followed to meet our customer expectations. JOB QUALIFICATIONS: Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in food science or other related applied science field with a minimum of five years related work experience preferred. An AS degree in a science field with a minimum of seven years in a professional role may provide an equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of two years of supervisory/management experience preferred. Experience in food manufacturing quality strongly preferred. USDA experience preferred but not required. HACCP or PCQI Certification is required. ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES: Drive implementation and execution of food safety and quality processes and programs that will assure food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance to meet customer needs. Provide overall Quality leadership for the site, including, but not limited to: championing food safety culture; active engagement on the site management team; autonomous, risk-based, and data-driven decision making; collaboration with site and corporate team members to drive continuous improvement; and providing active and ongoing support as needed to plant operations. Serve as the site Safe Quality Food (SQF) practitioner with responsibility and authority to: (1) Lead the implementation and improvements of site food safety fundamentals, prerequisite programs, and the food safety / HACCP Plan in support of Essentia’s overall food safety program; (2) Oversee implementation and compliance, review, and maintenance of the site SQF system; (3) Communicate all information to and collaborate with the relevant personnel to ensure the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF system. Oversee Quality SOPs, SSOPs, HACCP and Food Defense/Food Fraud Programs, including maintenance of the quality systems, overall management of the quality laboratory facilities and all applicable training needs for the site. Identify and execute improvement opportunities for the overall plant quality system. Drive management and production floor support and coaching in support of food safety culture development. Along with the plant manager, act as a primary contact for the USDA inspector on site and other food regulatory agencies. Develop robust and engaging training materials for job specific duties, plant practices, and culture driven initiatives. Utilize RCA tools to meet established plant Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Drive professional development of site Quality team to include leadership growth and performance management. Provide support for location driven programs to include people safety Conduct sensory analysis and sensory training for manufacturing products. Act as technical representative for all in-house audits by customers or regulatory authorities. Provide appropriate oversight, approval, and improvement opportunities of manufacturing batch records, CCP documentation, and other critical documentation, and lead investigation of any process deviations that have occurred. Maintain and implement the plant environmental monitoring plan, testing and corrective actions. Develop ongoing continuous improvement program for environmental program. Assist in the verification of the plant Master Sanitation Schedule with Sanitation leadership using a data-driven, risk-based approach Drive Quality-related plant investigations (off-specification product, customer complaints, environmental issues, etc.) with appropriate plant functions and personnel and include effective corrective actions. Be an active partner in management of off specification product program. Analyze and trend finished product data as a tool for evaluation of the current manufacturing process and the ability to meet finished product specifications. Assist in evaluation of customer and/or internal specifications. Manage site change management program, including review and approval of any process or product specification change requested. Effectively and professionally working with customers when required. Assist in the resolution of customer complaints. Provide technical support to R&D, including engagement in plant trial planning and execution, and other functions as needed. Act as plant liaison to key quality vendors, including pest control services and chemical suppliers. All other duties as assigned. JOB REQUIREMENTS: Demonstrated ability in food safety, regulatory compliance, quality and/or related risk assessments (GFSI-benchmarked certification experience desired, but will train). Demonstrated ability to act autonomously and make data-driven recommendations and decisions. General knowledge of food manufacturing and quality procedures. Ability to learn and comprehend a wide variety of processing methods to assure compliance with established processing procedures. Familiarity and comfort with multiple forms of technology, including expertise with MS Office applications, laboratory and manufacturing equipment and software, and other communication-driven technology platforms. Ability to effectively communicate complex information, both orally and in writing, to a wide variety of functions and personnel. Ability to remain calm and professional at all times. Ability to maintain confidentiality of company information when required. Knowledge of organizational methods and ability to manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously. Ability to work daily, weekends, and extended hours as necessary. Ability to assist other work-related areas, as required. Senior Manager – Manufacturing Quality will serve as the back-up and SQF Practitioner and either the Quality Control Lead Technician/senior Quality Control Technician or Plant Manager will provide onsite support.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability in food safety, regulatory compliance, quality and/or related risk assessments (GFSI-benchmarked certification experience desired, but will train).
• Demonstrated ability to act autonomously and make data-driven recommendations and decisions.
• General knowledge of food manufacturing and quality procedures.
• Ability to learn and comprehend a wide variety of processing methods to assure compliance with established processing procedures.
• Familiarity and comfort with multiple forms of technology, including expertise with MS Office applications, laboratory and manufacturing equipment and software, and other communication-driven technology platforms.
• Ability to effectively communicate complex information, both orally and in writing, to a wide variety of functions and personnel.
• Ability to remain calm and professional at all times.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of company information when required.
• Knowledge of organizational methods and ability to manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work daily, weekends, and extended hours as necessary.
• Ability to assist other work-related areas, as required.
• Bachelor’s Degree in food science or other related applied science field with a minimum of five years related work experience preferred.
• An AS degree in a science field with a minimum of seven years in a professional role may provide an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• HACCP or PCQI Certification is required.

Nice To Haves

• Minimum of two years of supervisory/management experience preferred.
• Experience in food manufacturing quality strongly preferred.
• USDA experience preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Drive implementation and execution of food safety and quality processes and programs that will assure food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance to meet customer needs.
• Provide overall Quality leadership for the site, including, but not limited to: championing food safety culture; active engagement on the site management team; autonomous, risk-based, and data-driven decision making; collaboration with site and corporate team members to drive continuous improvement; and providing active and ongoing support as needed to plant operations.
• Serve as the site Safe Quality Food (SQF) practitioner with responsibility and authority to: (1) Lead the implementation and improvements of site food safety fundamentals, prerequisite programs, and the food safety / HACCP Plan in support of Essentia’s overall food safety program; (2) Oversee implementation and compliance, review, and maintenance of the site SQF system; (3) Communicate all information to and collaborate with the relevant personnel to ensure the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF system.
• Oversee Quality SOPs, SSOPs, HACCP and Food Defense/Food Fraud Programs, including maintenance of the quality systems, overall management of the quality laboratory facilities and all applicable training needs for the site.
• Identify and execute improvement opportunities for the overall plant quality system.
• Drive management and production floor support and coaching in support of food safety culture development.
• Along with the plant manager, act as a primary contact for the USDA inspector on site and other food regulatory agencies.
• Develop robust and engaging training materials for job specific duties, plant practices, and culture driven initiatives.
• Utilize RCA tools to meet established plant Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
• Drive professional development of site Quality team to include leadership growth and performance management.
• Provide support for location driven programs to include people safety
• Conduct sensory analysis and sensory training for manufacturing products.
• Act as technical representative for all in-house audits by customers or regulatory authorities.
• Provide appropriate oversight, approval, and improvement opportunities of manufacturing batch records, CCP documentation, and other critical documentation, and lead investigation of any process deviations that have occurred.
• Maintain and implement the plant environmental monitoring plan, testing and corrective actions.
• Develop ongoing continuous improvement program for environmental program.
• Assist in the verification of the plant Master Sanitation Schedule with Sanitation leadership using a data-driven, risk-based approach
• Drive Quality-related plant investigations (off-specification product, customer complaints, environmental issues, etc.) with appropriate plant functions and personnel and include effective corrective actions.
• Be an active partner in management of off specification product program.
• Analyze and trend finished product data as a tool for evaluation of the current manufacturing process and the ability to meet finished product specifications.
• Assist in evaluation of customer and/or internal specifications.
• Manage site change management program, including review and approval of any process or product specification change requested.
• Effectively and professionally working with customers when required.
• Assist in the resolution of customer complaints.
• Provide technical support to R&D, including engagement in plant trial planning and execution, and other functions as needed.
• Act as plant liaison to key quality vendors, including pest control services and chemical suppliers.
• All other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

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