Job Description

Description

Excellent opportunity for a well-experienced Quality Professional with at least 5 years of related Quality experience in a FOOD Manufacturing Environment.

Employee-owned company! Share in our success; eligible for company shares after six months.

Excellent benefits package including 401k match, full medical, dental, life, disability, vision, and legal shield available.

Friendly work environment.  Must be comfortable with small town Iowa; Waukon is close to Decorah, IA a college town (Luther College) with rich history and a well-preserved historic downtown. 

Reports to:               Vice President of Quality, dotted line AVEKA Waukon Site Manager

FLSA Status:            Exempt Salaried

Position Summary: 

As a member of the Aveka Nutra Processing Management Team, uses quality experience and expertise to manage the Quality systems, ensuring best practices and results in production and products. Maintains FSSC 22000 certification and QMS requirements, leads new initiatives toward process improvement and best practices in quality administration.  Works positively with production and quality staff to meet goals, find solutions, and drive positive change toward ever-increasing efficiency. 

Responsibilities / Duties:

Quality Systems Management (QMS)

• Maintain AVEKA Nutra Processing FSSC 22000 Certification.
• Ensure Quality Management System processes and documents are in place and employees are trained to support FSSC 22000 Certification, Food Safety and GMP’s. These programs also encompass Sanitation, Calibration, Pest Control, Allergen Management, and Environmental Management.
• Perform periodic QMS review with Aveka Nutra Processing Management Team. Develop and track objectives for quality, product, and process improvement.
• Generate Quality Scorecard and reports for aspects of plant quality including Customer Complaints, CAR’S, and COPQ.

• Customer Concern Management. Investigate customer concerns, perform Root Cause Analysis, and develop Corrective and Prevention Actions. Lead the resolution and ensure timely follow-up of quality issues to maintain customer satisfaction. Provide corporate and facility visibility of Quality and Customer Concerns.

• Oversee internal and external audits. This includes monthly and internal audits, customer, and regulatory audits. Communicate audit findings and lead CAR completion.
• Quality Liaison with current and perspective customers. Ensure required documents are requested from the customer and maintained. Make certain that Food Safety Plans, work instructions and batch records are developed, approved, and employees trained to support production.
• Responsible for maintaining third party certifications including Kosher, Halal, and Organic.
• Provide oversight and training to Internal Audit Team.
• Provide QMS & Quality Awareness Training to new and existing employees at scheduled intervals and as needed.

• Provides leadership and guidance to Quality Technicians. Coaches and develops staff in a manner which results in qualified, productive, and satisfied employees who are able to successfully respond to changing customer needs.

• Lead the Food Safety Quality Culture Team at Aveka Nutra Processing
• Attend onsite and offsite training courses as required to advance Food Industry, Safety and Facility knowledge.
• Follow plant safety and wear appropriate PPE’s.

Strategic

• Promote quality culture, objectives, and principles throughout AVEKA Nutra Processing
• Advocate change when appropriate
• Mentor and develop staff in a manner which results in qualified, productive, and satisfied employees who are able to successfully respond to changing customer needs
• Provide Quality Systems training for new and current employees
• Work with Production Engineering in responding to customer requests for process changes, quality assistance and corrective actions as needed
• Work closely with customers to resolve issues pertaining to AVEKA Nutra Processing internal procedures, processes, and products
• Establish and manage supplier quality assurance plans/expectations for incoming critical raw materials and parts to ensure consistent quality and performance

Continuous Improvement

• Provide training and leadership in using quality tools and best practices (FMEA, lean practices)
• Help drive, train others, and lead as needed cross-functional projects that improve business performance using Lean, Six Sigma and Project Management best practices
• Review, audit, and continuously improve operating procedures for all AVEKA processes
• Investigate, experiment, and develop appropriate CI methods and tools - examples include Cost of Poor-Quality reporting (Internal & External failures), Benchmarking tools
• Attend meetings and other learning opportunities to understand what others are doing to conduct CI best practices

Management Team

• Lead Management Review meetings to provide information and review of FSSC 22000
• Member of the AVEKA Nutra Processing Management Team
• Contribute to long-term planning of the company

Qualifications

Job Qualifications:

• 5+ years’ experience in Quality Management Systems in a manufacturing environment
• Bachelor’s Degree in a highly related field
• Food Safety and QMS expertise
• Experience maintaining customer complaint processes and mitigation

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and Project Management best practices preferred
• Working knowledge of EXCEL spreadsheets, Microsoft Office Suite, and various quality documentation software
• Above average attention to detail
• Strong multi-tasking abilities
• Above average ability to communicate orally and in writing
• Able to work independently and safely

Physical Requirements:

• 80% general office work with ability to sit for extended periods of time, able to operate a keyboard and computer, run a projector, connect computer lines, use a telephone, and communicate by email and internet team applications
• Up to 20% walking and observing on the manufacturing floor to communicate with employees, assess specific plant situations, quality processes, and related.  May require climbing stairs or ladders, reaching, bending, twisting, and working with machinery and processes that requires use of the arms, hands, and fingers, with occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds and/or moving heavier objects with mechanical assistance
• Reasonable accommodations will be considered per ADA requirements to enable an incumbent to perform the job if any of the above physical requirements are limited