Plant Quality and Technology Manager - Ames, IA

Job Purpose: Ensure the correct application of Barilla Quality & Food Safety and Technology management systems, delivering products to meet customer requirements, internal specifications, regulatory requirements and corporate procedures. Responsible for the design and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure that quality standards and process procedures are met. The manager will oversee laboratory analyses to ensure that quality standards are met, intervene in case of anomalies, and promote the adoption of product quality control methods and equipment management to all personnel along with overseeing process technology and all of those related systems and work processes.

Key Accountabilities

• Build the strategy for deployment of all quality and food safety systems for product portfolio.
• Manages the Processing Technologist and Quality Specialist.
• Food Safety Team Leader and Food Defence Officer.
• Ensure adherence to current laws/regulations, customer requirements, GFSI certification, and company procedures/specifications for raw materials, packaging materials, semi-finished and finished products by respecting sampling and control plans.
• Manage non-conformities, consumer complaints and process deviations assuring their recognition and setting up proper corrective and preventative actions.
• Ensure Quality Department reliability through applying the defined KPI's, measurement methods and calibration procedures and through keeping the lab and plant employees performing the analyses aligned.
• Support and apply the vendor assurance tools for raw materials, packaging materials, finished products and logistic providers from approval to its performance evaluation.
• Ensure the adherence of GMP and an effective implementation of company policy about hygiene and safety (HACCP, Integrated Pest Management).
• Ensure the proper resources for plant Quality and Technology team supporting their integration and professional development.
• Develop processing technologist via projects and activities, establishing priorities in cooperation with Industrialization to guarantee plant needs and support for Industrialization trials and projects.
• Promote the culture of Quality and Technology through establishing and executing training plans for plant employees.
• Ensure internal and external plant auditing of QMS and Technology by coordinating the periodic inspections and executing subsequent corrections, corrective actions and root cause analysis.
• Responsible for overseeing cleaning, sanitation and integrated pest management.
• Support Industrialization team in all activities related to product scale up and start up, organization of industrial trials as needed, cost-saving projects trials, raw materials variations, etc.
• Conduct capability studies and support product standards management.
• Quality and Technology lead for facility design changes and new product introductions.
• Facility contact person for audit/inspection in the area of quality and food safety (e.g. FDA, FSSC 22000, Gluten Free, Organic, customers, etc).
• Define budget and capex for Quality & Technology in agreement with plant manager.
• Work and communicate well with cross-functional teams. Effectively contribute to the working relationship with Barilla America.

Additional Information

• BS in Food Science, Engineering or related degree such as Food Manufacturing or Food Microbiology.
• Minimum of 8 years of quality assurance experience in a food-manufacturing environment.
• 2-3 years of experience in food technology, product development or related field preferred.
• Experience with FDA, CFIA and international quality system rules, regulations is required.
• Preferred to be a certified FDA FSMA Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) for Human Food.
• Must have food safety management system and GFSI certification experience (preferably FSSC 22000) with knowledge of implementation of appropriate supporting programs (e.g. cleaning, sanitation, pest management, etc.)
• Certified HACCP Manager.
• Ability to take initiative, maintain confidentiality, and engage others in a team environment is essential.

Veterans and diverse candidates encouraged to apply.

Barilla is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of Barilla to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard characteristics including, but not limited to, age, race, color, culture, ethnicity, nationality, faith, religion, gender, pregnancy, family status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran or protected veteran status, political opinions, health or disability.