Quality Manager

**Exciting opportunity to lead and build out the Quality department for Grillo's greenfield start-up plant!**

SUMMARY

The site Quality Manager will provide quality assurance support for the site by developing and maintaining food quality and food safety programs. This position will play a key role in ensuring the site is in adherence to company policies and government regulations. The critical technical functions of the position are to develop, implement, maintain, provide training on, and ensure effectiveness of food safety and quality systems.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coach, train and develop QA personnel.
• Oversee and standardize the site food safety and QA programs.
• Oversee SQF and HACCP activities.
• Ensure the site successfully meets the SQF requirements and maintains SQF certification.
• Oversee the complaint process and quality metrics.
• Oversee GLPs to include calibration programs and correlations.
• Ensure lab testing methods are current with best practices in the industry.
• Keep the facility up to date on food safety and quality trends, issues, and initiatives.
• Develop and maintain food security programs.
• Develop and implement foreign material control processes and procedures.
• Manage Quality Assurance documentation, policies, and procedures.
• Is the site recall coordinator.
• Assure Hold/Disposition functions are conducted in accordance with the established procedures.
• Oversee audit programs (3rd party, customer, regulatory, and vendors).
• Verify plant sanitation, GMP compliance, pest control and environmental monitoring programs through consultation and auditing.
• Collaborate with maintenance and engineering teams to ensure projects are assessed through the risk-based change management process.
• Collaborate with R&D and customers to develop quality standards for new products.
• Coordinate training programs with other departments for all employees concerning product quality, customer satisfaction and food safety.
• Assists direct reports in defining career goals and seeking opportunities for development.
• Provide the training and resources required for direct reports to perform their roles.
• Recruit knowledgeable, experienced, and productive quality assurance team members.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of this role.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE)

• Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited institution or equivalent relevant experience required; Food Science, Food Safety, Engineering, or related focus preferred.
• At least 5 years of leadership and 7 years’ of progressively responsible experience in food / beverage manufacturing QA (FDA or USDA).
• Proficient with MS Teams, SharePoint, SPC, and other quality management systems.
• Expert with Quality Management Programs (GFSI, FSMA, Allergens, GMPs, HACCP, etc.).
• Excellent verbal and technical writing skills; demonstrated ability to write effective QA procedures and technical reports.
• Excellent understanding of quality test procedures (laboratory and process controls).
• Proficient project management skills.
• Proficient knowledge of FMEA methods and principles.
• Proficient with RCA and risk assessment processes.
• Proficient relationship building skills, including the capacity to predict and manage behavior, build, and leverage cross-functional partnerships within and outside of the organization.
• Team player and passionate about food quality and food safety.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, taste, or smell. Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 - 25 pounds, and occasionally more than 50 pounds with assistance from co-workers and/or mechanic devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. Occasional exposure to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee will be handling items that may be very hot. The noise level is usually moderate.

Grillo’s is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment.