Quality Manager - Commercial

Baxters North America•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

The Quality Manager is responsible for managing, developing, and continually deploying the quality strategy. The role requires applied expertise in HACCP food safety, FDA and USDA regulations, frozen-food production, thermal processing of Low Acid Canned Foods (LACF), food science, flexible packaging, sanitation, and quality assurance and control systems. The manager provides technical expertise in Lean and Total Quality principles, processes, and tools to improve product and service quality and operational results, and leads and supports plant operations in producing quality products at least cost. The position oversees quality-system development and maintenance, work instructions, training, audits, project support, new-product commissioning, and employee and organizational development. It drives continual improvement in quality systems, food safety, and sanitation, measured through internal and external audits and KPI achievement. Responsibilities also include regulatory and customer compliance, laboratory oversight, supplier quality, incident management, positive product release, and employee development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in food science, food technologies, or a related discipline.
Ten years of Quality Assurance experience, including at least five years in a Quality Management role, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
External audit experience with various customers and regulatory agencies.
FDA and USDA regulatory experience, with demonstrated knowledge of current interpretations of quality management system requirements and current industry best practices.
Prior food-processing experience in a manufacturing environment operating under HACCP, SQF, or BRC requirements.
Competencies include batch testing, HACCP, inspections, Kaban methodology, Lean methodology, nondestructive testing, product QA, QA management, quality assurance processes, quality audits, quality control testing, quality improvement, quality management, radiographic testing, TQM, and QMS.
Leadership, technical writing and communication, team-building, attention to detail, results orientation, analytical, problem-solving, project management, planning and decision-making skills, integrity, and operational excellence.
Ability to sit for prolonged periods and use a computer continuously; may lift, carry, push, or pull objects weighing up to 10 pounds.

Responsibilities

Implement and maintain an effective food safety and quality program that meets company, customer, legal, and regulatory requirements.
Establish and implement quality assurance policies and procedures for inspecting and controlling raw materials, packaging materials, in-process products, and finished products against standards and specifications.
Manage human and physical resources to maximize efficiency and company investment.
Review process and personnel performance against objectives, budgets, and plans, and take remedial action as needed.
Monitor, audit, and approve facilities and manufacturing operations for conformance with established procedures and requirements.
Maintain required records and documents, including formula test results, inspections, file samples, vendor performance, product complaints, and product disposition.
Interface with FDA, USDA, and state and local agencies to maintain plant and product certifications.
Support new-business development by introducing and testing new products and evaluating test data; provide technical and regulatory input for plant expansions and new products.
Oversee chemical, biological, sterility, and environmental testing laboratories.
Collaborate with other functions to troubleshoot product complaints and improve customer service and product performance.
Identify and implement statistically driven quality programs, including SPC, and support continuous improvement across manufacturing areas.
Coordinate or assist with problem evaluation and resolution.
Ensure timely positive release of raw materials and finished products.
Provide leadership and operations teams with quality updates.
Establish actions to address quality incidents and trends.
Maintain quality systems that achieve company expectations, customer requirements, regulatory compliance, and GFSI certification.
Manage site-level quality and food safety incidents.
Oversee monitoring, verification, and validation activities to ensure products meet facility Food Safety and Quality Plans.
Work with Purchasing to ensure suppliers have appropriate quality systems and process controls to deliver usable inventories of the required quality.
Conduct performance reviews, develop growth plans, and interpret, implement, and support employee-related policies, procedures, and programs.
Delegate projects and tasks to support employee growth and development.
Ensure compliance with procedures and policies concerning quality, regulatory, safety, and human resources.
Collaborate with production and supporting departments to ensure product food safety and quality.
Assume the duties and responsibilities of the QA Supervisor in their absence.
Perform other duties as assigned.