FSQA Manager

Archer Jerky Meat Snacks is looking for an experienced and high-performing Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager who will collaborate with key external and internal stakeholders to manage the development, implementation, maintenance, and improvement of FSQA programs. They will ensure regulatory compliance and consistency on producing Safe & High-Quality products that conform to the regulatory, 3^rd party certification, company and customer standards.

The FSQA Manager will help to foster a strong Food Safety & Quality Culture in which all external and internal stakeholders become actively engaged in understanding and guaranteeing safe & high-quality raw materials and finished products.

Archer Jerky is an award-winning, rapidly growing meat snack company with a high-energy, collaborative work environment. We offer a generous time-off package and comprehensive healthcare benefits, including 100% company-paid employee medical insurance.

This full-time, first-shift, position located in the Los Angeles area.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and managerial functions (recruitment, coaching, performance management and development) to the QA team.
• Collaborate with the Director of FSQA to develop FSQA strategic plans and objectives to support business growth and to ensure consistency in producing Safe & High-Quality products.

• Collaborate with the Director of FSQA and the responsible sites’ key external and internal stakeholders to develop and implement tactical plans to support the FSQA strategic plans and objectives; key external and internal stakeholders include (but are not limited to) suppliers, 3^rd party locations, co-manufacturers, co-packers, customers, 3^rd party certifying bodies, company R&D, Marketing, Sales and Operations teams.

• Serve as the SQF Practitioner and the HACCP Plan Coordinator for the responsible sites, ensuring that the SQF certification / programs and HACCP Plans are properly developed, implemented and maintained in accordance with the certification and regulatory requirements.

• Act as the Subject Matter Expert and the driving force on food regulatory, safety and quality compliance for the responsible sites. Providing periodic plant-wide FSQA training including, but not limited to GMP, HACCP, Allergen Management, and Foreign Object Controls.

• Manage site QA resources and priorities, ensuring compliance with FSQA functions, HACCP plans, and 3rd party certifications (SQF, Organic, Gluten-Free); support R&D projects, labeling compliance, and issue resolution using RCA and CAPA; and oversee audits to meet regulatory, customer, and certification requirements.
• Collaborate with the Director of FSQA and stakeholders to develop meaningful KPI’s to keep track of FSQA objectives and performance; proactively communicate / share KPI’s with all concerned stakeholders.

• Proactively identify, drive and lead Continuous Improvement (CI) efforts to improve food safety and quality for the responsible sites; perform data analyses to identify CI opportunities and communicate summary data / information with concerned stakeholders to keep track of results.

• Perform periodic visits to and FSQA audits at suppliers, 3^rd party locations, co-manufacturers and co-packers as assigned by the Director of FSQA; collaborate with the auditees to address findings.

• Departmental P&L development / management.

Education:

• B.S. Degree in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Food Engineering or related field.
• Current HACCP and/or FDA FSMA HARPC and PCQI certifications.

Experience:

• 8 years of FSQA supervisory and/or managerial experience in USDA and/or FDA-regulated food/beverage manufacturing facilities. Experience with meat processing is preferred.
• Proven experience developing, implementing, maintaining, and improving HACCP and/or FDA FSMA Food Safety Plans and prerequisite programs such as GMP, Allergen Management, Environmental Monitoring, and Sanitation.
• Familiarity with current SQF, BRC, and/or other relevant GFSI-based certification requirements, and hands-on experience implementing, maintaining, and improving SQF, BRC, or relevant GFSI-based food safety certification programs as an SQF/BRC Practitioner.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and collaborate with regulatory bodies and cross-functional teams of internal and external stakeholders to ensure FSQA program effectiveness and resolve issues/conflicts.