Quality Assurance Manager

Job Summary:

Ultimate responsibility for Safe, Quality, Food for manufacturing site. Is actively engaged to improve food and laboratory safety, quality, and efficiencies in the QA laboratories and in production in assigned BAF facility. Maintains an intimate knowledge of laboratory policies and test procedures. Fosters a high performance work culture in all Quality Assurance labs by insisting that Good Laboratory Practices are maintained and that Technicians are routinely trained and tested for accuracy to ensure consistent accurate results.

Essential Job Duties/Key Accountabilities

1. Responsible for overseeing and securing all aspects of food safety and quality from raw material and ingredients received to the production and shipment of food from assigned BAF facilitiy. Leads their staff, and plant operational teams to ensure HACCP, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOP's), and current Good Manufacturing Processes (cGMP's are followed, recorded and maintained.
2. Responsible for the development, training, and sustaining of Good Laboratory Practices. Ensure product safety and quality testing is maintained and recorded at facilities. Ensures laboratory training of all Technicians is completed and that test results are accurate and consistent among Technicians and across all labs. Responsible for the approval of the facility QA budget and capital projects. Must have intimate knowledge of laboratory and production processes and actively engaged in evaluating processes within the facility to remove waste and reduce cost. The expertise of the incumbent should be sought out by Operations to evaluate and resolve issues. Identify process locations and attributes that can be used to predict quality and use process attributes to maintain consistency and reduce the need for finished product testing. Finished product quality attributes with targets and ranges are to be identified and set while taking into account process capability. Supporting specification changes and test procedures are to be published in a timely manner.
3. Actively engaged in determining the root cause of instances of food safety and quality deficiencies and resolving them as quickly as possible. Ensures that deficiency corrective actions are validated and maintained.
4. Ensure the ongoing coaching, development, and training of all direct reports and their reporting staff as well as support the training of plant operations in food safety, quality, and customer requirements. Development of QA personnel is key to maintaining food safety/GMP, food quality, and the longevity of the QA Function.
5. Work closely with Technology, Marketing, Sales, and customers to ensure that all products perform as designed.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor of Science degree required with five to seven years related experience and/or training.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Should have knowledge of Accounting software; Database software; Human Resource systems; Internet software; Inventory software; Manufacturing software; Order processing systems; Project Management software; Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software.
• HACCP Certification
• SQF Practitioner Certification

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Manufacturing Plant Environment
• Must move/lift up to 50 lbs.

Food and Workplace Safety Requirements

• Proactively manage safety by ensuring compliance with all Federal and State regulations and internal Company policies. Regularly complete behavior based safety observations. Ensure unsafe conditions are corrected in a timely manner.
• A trained designee will be trained to take the place of QA Manager in case of absence.
• All employees are responsible for upholding the principles of SQF Food Safety Code.
• All employees are responsible for immediately reporting any food safety, food quality, safety issues, or plant security issues to management for appropriate action.

DISCLAIMER: Incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required.