Manager, Quality Assurance

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Maintain compliance with BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, Organic, Gluten-Free, Kosher, and other applicable certifications, including documentation and record-keeping.
• Manage raw material blends to ensure adherence to final product specifications.
• Collaborate with customers to resolve quality and food safety complaints. Lead root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on quality standards, deviations, and cost/value opportunities for all products manufactured at the facility.
• Ensure adherence to QA/FS principles, good manufacturing practices, and Corporate Quality Assurance provided by all site departments.
• Manage product sampling, laboratory test procedures, and communication of results.
• Oversee plant sanitation, regulatory inspections, and the administration of other site-specific pre-requisite programs.
• Direct the plant Quality Assurance team, including selection, training, leadership, scheduling, and task assignment.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for all Quality Assurance and product testing matters. Make accept/reject decisions on incoming grain/ingredients and outgoing customer shipments.
• Provide technical expertise on ingredient quality, specifications, and product performance to all departments, supporting new product setup, label approval, and ingredient systems.
• Maintain quality control lab testing equipment by ensuring preventative maintenance programs are adhered to and support troubleshooting when deviations arise.
• Lead initiatives supporting Corporate Quality Assurance business plan and site programs (e.g., safety, recognition).
• Provide technical leadership and expertise in Quality Assurance and Testing.
• Conduct interviews, onboarding, training, and performance evaluations for the QA team.
• Analyze customer needs, develop finished product specifications, and prepare customer ingredient samples.
• Collaborate with procurement and suppliers to resolve quality and food safety complaints. Respond to customer quality inquiries.

PLANT SPECIFIC DUTIES:

• Monthly floor coaching with Plant Manager/Supervisory team in various departments to drive coaching/training efforts with all plant team members.

• Food Safety and sanitation position reports to QA Managers

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Cereal Science, Biology, Chemistry, Milling Science, or a related field.
• 5 years of experience in laboratory management, quality control, or quality assurance.
• Technical expertise in all aspects of quality, food safety, and sanitation within food manufacturing.
• Strong working knowledge of food plant operations, production equipment, cleaning and sanitizing procedures, and food quality standards (HACCP, USDA, FDA, AOAC, FSMA).
• Communication skills to effectively convey and implement the QA vision with key stakeholders.
• Ability to effectively manage conflict.
• Decisive leadership skills and a proactive approach.
• Experience in employee management, including setting expectations, defining schedules and milestones, conducting performance reviews, and developing career advancement plans.
• Proven track record of driving continuous improvement; Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or CQE certification is a plus. Ability to apply mathematical concepts to practical operational situations.
• Prior experience in grain milling manufacturing is highly preferred.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Formal root cause analysis training is a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This position requires the ability to stand and/or walk for extended periods.
• Occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling may be required.
• Frequent sitting at a workstation is expected.
• Finger and hand dexterity is necessary for keyboard use and operating laboratory equipment.
• Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This position involves routine exposure to dust and fumes typically found in cereal grain processing facilities and testing laboratories. The laboratory's noise level is generally moderate. Noise levels exceeding 90 decibels should be expected in the production environment.

FOOD SAFETY / SECURITY REQUIREMENTS:
The Company is committed to producing and delivering defect-free products. To ensure this, all employees are required to be trained on and adhere to the Good Manufacturing Policies set forth by the Company as they pertain to personnel practices, equipment, and facilities. It is also vital that all employees be aware of the work environment and, when possible, prevent accidental or intentional adulteration of products produced at this facility. As a result, any employee has a right to put product on hold if they have concern. At the plant level, only the Quality Assurance Manager and General Manager have the authority to release the product on hold.