Job Description

Location: Rochester MN

Job Title:       Quality Assurance Manager

Immediate Supervisor:   General Manager 

FLSA Status:       Exempt ($75,000 - $90,000 annually DOE)

Schedule: Primarily: Mon - Thurs. 8am to 5pm (some Fridays/flexibility may be required)

Summary:     It is the responsibility of the Quality Assurance Manager to develop, implement, and maintain plant quality, sanitation, and pest control systems in compliance with Company and regulatory standards.  Support execution of OSHA mandated programs as directed by the General Manager. 

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Must reside in the US and be authorized to work
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field with 3-5 years food industry experience preferred.
• Excellent communication and time management skills are needed to manage multiple priorities and work well in a team-based environment.
• Strong computer skills required, Microsoft office suite and inventory control software programs 
• Excellent organizational and data management skillset 
• Must be able to verbally communicate, understand and write in the English language.

Benefits

• Thrift retirement plan with generous company contributions 

• Company provided uniforms
• Employee morale program
• Excellent health benefit plans. $600 deductible/single plans starting at $16/wk (includes medical, dental, and vision).
• Insurance effective date of hire
• Company paid STD and Life Insurance 
• Flex spending account (FSA)
• Paid Time Off
• Paid holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Company pays for all required training and certifications 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assume role of plant champion of quality through promotion of quality standards and expectations, execution of accountability of all employees, both management and hourly, to Prairie Farms standards, and implementation of quality and food safety communication and training systems.
• Develop, maintain, and implement the plant HACCP program.
• Manage pest control activities including the EPM program per company expectations.
• Maintain certificates of insurance for 3rd party contracted services.
• Understand the manufacturing process flow and provide technical support to plant operations regarding any quality, food safety, or sanitation related issues.
• Make recommendations as necessary to incoming raw materials per requirements to limit the impact of raw material variability on finished product quality. 
• Ensure compliance of all quality programs per requirements of Quality Systems Standard Expectations.   Execute effective auditing systems to measure compliance and facilitate corrective and preventative actions to address non-compliance issues.
• Serve as liaison for any regulatory or 3rd party plant inspections.  Provide written follow-up and reporting to Director of Quality Assurance and Vice President of Operations.  Must be able to effectively articulate Prairie Farms quality programs to adequately answer auditor questions and promote a high level of confidence and professionalism.
• Track product quality for conformance to specification, and other plant quality scorecard results, and report monthly results.
• Manage specific customer requirements pertaining to finished product quality and food safety, i.e. specifications, certificates of analysis, complaint follow-up and corrective actions.
• Provide leadership in areas of corrective and preventative action systems in areas of non-compliant product or downgrades, customer complaint follow-up and plant audit systems.
• Supervises laboratory analysts and/or quality technicians.   
• Perform all other duties as assigned 

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, stand or walk for prolonged periods of time.  The employee will be required to operate a computer and keyboard; have visual acuity to review written documentation; ability to hear and understand speech; manual dexterity to operate a telephone; lift horizontally and vertically, bend and stoop.

Prairie Farms is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law