Job Title: Quality Assurance Manager

Reports To: Plant Manager

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for ensuring the integrity and safety of all products manufactured within the facility. They oversee the implementation and maintenance of comprehensive food safety programs, monitor quality control processes, and coordinate responses to regulatory agencies. Additionally, they lead teams, conduct inspections, and facilitate employee training to uphold industry standards and ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

Maintain fundamental food safety programs (including Master Cleaning Schedules/Sanitation SOP, GMPs, Integrated Pest Management, Food Safety Consumer Complaints, Recall/Traceability, Chemical Control, Allergen Control, Supplier Certification; FM Control).
Track Consumer Complaints; Submit period action plans to customers and to the corporate office.
Respond to Corporate CARs within 7 days. Issue local plant CARs as needed and follow through to completion. Trend issues.
As Food Safety Team coordinator, hold weekly score meetings. Review repeat deficiencies and develop strategies that address the root cause.
Lead the Plant Quality Team, hold weekly meetings. Forward notes of the meeting to the QA Director.
Lead daily Foreign Matter Hunts, log all findings.
Perform daily plant walk-throughs.
Manage descriptive and key product attributes for accuracy and completeness.
Routinely monitor frying process, ensuring optimum temperature, oil quality/level, and throughput.
Monitor and report process capability.
Manage the HACCP and FSMA Food Safety Plans.
Maintain an active and transparent Food Safety / Quality ‘score card’ system.
Coordinate responses to USDA and FDA; review all NRs for accuracy and consistency.
Ensure metal detectors are checked and calibrated as specified.
Oversight of plant SQF implementation and maintenance. Maintain, verify, and validate SQF programs. Complete validation forms each month based on the SQF Verification/Validation Schedule. Conduct a monthly Management Review meeting.
Maintain and execute the Environmental Program and post-sanitation ATP checks.
Order Sanitation chemicals, safety equipment, and cleaning utensils.
Order lab chemicals; maintain and calibrate laboratory instruments.
Monthly Food Safety Inspections of the entire facility. Maintain records of the inspections. Follow up on corrective actions, including work orders generated as a result of the inspections.
Coordinates and assists with employee training.

Additional Duties And Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To:

Participate in Mock Recalls four times per year;
File all Quality/Food Safety Systems Paperwork; (USDA records kept separate from all other records);
Review sanitation records for completeness, repeat deficiencies, and trends.
Review and maintain lab equipment; correlation and calibration records activities.
Perform locker inspections.
Maintain Hold Log.
Participate in weekly USDA exit meeting.
Maintain Glass/Brittle Plastic/Ceramics Register
Assist with maintaining overall cleanliness of the facility; perform periodic RFC Pre-Op/MSS inspections;
Actively involved in daily product reviews, coordinating Market Review activities

Employee Safety Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited to:

Understanding basic electrical Lock Out Tag Out principles.
Wear hearing protection where required.
Follow all common employee safety practices, including proper PPE where necessary.
Understanding of SDS sheets and the safe use of chemicals.

Food Safety Responsibilities:

Understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
HACCP certified.
SQF Practitioner.
Good understanding of the AIB and SQF audit processes.
Ability to identify food safety violations in the production area.
Excellent understanding of food safety regulations.

SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

Lock Out Tag Out
Follow all Food Safety regulations (HACCP, GMP’s, AIB, Etc.)
Wear hearing protection in all areas of the plant
Wear non-slip shoes
Follow all common employee safety practices

Education And/Or Experience Requirements:

Three to Five years related experience in Quality Systems, Quality Assurance, and/or Regulatory Compliance/Affairs experience in Food Manufacturing or other similarly regulated environment.
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or Food Safety
Master of Science in Regulatory Science -Food Safety preferred

Language Skills:

Ability to read and comprehend instructions, correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Understanding of statistical process controls.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.