Produce Quality Assurance Lead

Starting Pay: $20.00 - $25.00

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Produce Quality Assurance Lead is responsible for overseeing the inspection, testing, and monitoring of fresh produce to ensure it meets established quality, food safety, and regulatory standards. This role involves leading, training, and overseeing warehouse staff, collaborating with distribution, inventory and procurement teams, and implementing effective quality control measures to maintain customer satisfaction and compliance.  Has the flexibility to work weekends as needed. 

Adhere to PACT values. (Purpose: Using our strengths passionately to contribute to our mission. Accountability: Choosing to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrating ownership to achieve results. See It. Own It. Solve It. Do It. Courage: Standing up for what’s right and acting. Transparency: Doing things openly and honestly). 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Reliable, consistent, attendance is a requirement. This position requires punctuality and dependable attendance to meet the needs of the business, including attending and taking part in meetings and presentations.
2. Quality Control & Inspection
   1. Conducts inspections of inbound and outbound produce/goods to ensure compliance with company quality standards.
   2. Monitors the handling and storage of produce on hand and conducts product inspections in rack locations to prevent quality degradation.
   3. Marks and designates produce inventory to reflect First In First Out methodologies and practices.
   4. Partners with inventory and distribution teams to properly manage the movement of inventory to ensure the highest quality possible.
   5. Inspects produce that is returned to ensure that the cold chain has been maintained and that the quality of the returned product is in acceptable condition. 
   6. Ensures compliance with regulatory and food safety standards (e.g., FDA, USDA, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)).
3. Food Safety & Compliance
   1. Implements and maintains quality assurance programs, such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and HACCP.
   2. Oversees documentation and reporting to meet internal and external audit requirements.
   3. Collaborates with suppliers and vendors to ensure produce quality standards are consistently met.
   4. Ensures that sanitation measures are compliant with American Institute of Bakery (AIB) standards.
4. Leads, trains, and oversees the warehouse team members assigned to Produce Quality in the function of inspecting the produce and warehouse inventory, ensuring that all quality standards are met.
5. Assigns tasks to designated staff, ensuring proper coverage and efficiency
6. Provides training and coaching of designated staff on a periodical basis.
7. Process Improvement
   1. Identifies opportunities to improve quality control processes and reduce waste.
   2. Develops and revises standard operating procedures (SOPs) for produce handling and inspection.
   3. Analyzes quality data to identify trends and address root causes of quality issues.
   4. Researches rotation issues and report to supervision and management.
8. Cross-Department Collaboration
   1. Works with the procurement team to resolve quality issues with suppliers.
   2. Coordinates with warehouse teams to ensure proper handling and processing of produce.
   3. Partners with warehouse and logistics teams to monitor produce temperature, storage conditions, and shelf life.
9. Contributes to ensuring the following key performance indicators are met.
   1. Reduction in quality-related rejections or complaints.
   2. Timely and accurate completion of inspections and reporting.
   3. Compliance with regulatory and company food safety standards.
   4. Employee engagement and performance within the Warehouse Team.

1. In addition to produce, monitor quality and quality in the cooler, freezer, and dry departments.
2. Has the flexibility to work weekends, as needed. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education/Experience:

• High School Diploma from an accredited school or general education development (GED) certificate
• Minimum 1-2 years of experience in produce or fresh food distribution industries.
• Experience working with a warehouse management system or ERP.
• Experience at a proficient level with quality management systems (QMS)
• Experience in a fast-paced environment preferred. 

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• Forklift and electric pallet jacks certification 

Special Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the job holder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.)

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including but not limited to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Strong knowledge of produce quality standards, including grading, ripeness, and defects.
• Familiarity with food safety regulations and audit requirements (e.g., HACCP, FSMA).
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong customer service skills and willingness to assist others
• Ability to work with a diverse population
• Ability to work cooperatively and coordinate well with other departments
• Attention to detail 

COMPLIANCE:

Carries out responsibilities in accordance with HFB policies.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the jobholder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.) 

COMPETENCIES: 

Action-Oriented / Customer Focus / Drives for Results / Informing / Approachability / Learning on the Fly / Perseverance / Self-development / Listening / Peer Relationships / Integrity and Trust / Functional / Technical Skills 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is required daily to analyze and interpret data, communicate, and remain in a standing or stationary position for a significant amount of the workday; and often access, input, and retrieve information from the computer and other office productivity devices. The employee must regularly move about the office and around the facility, use hands, wrists, and fingers to grip, type, and write. The employee must frequently lift 50 pounds. The employee will need to have the average ability to hear horns, warnings, and alerts associated with a warehouse.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While the job is generally performed in an enclosed office environment, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, strong food-related smells, outside weather conditions, refrigerated coolers (35-55 degrees), and freezer (-5 to 15 degrees).  The noise level in the office environment is typically quiet, but the employee will be occasionally exposed to loud noise levels (e.g., horns, fans).

TRAVEL REQUIRED: 

No travel is required for this role.

This role supports hours of operations at the Houston Food Bank facilities, as necessary, and may require flexibility (e.g., times of disaster, community events, company events).

*Is legally able to work in the United States.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and essential job functions needed for this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, working conditions, qualifications, and skills that may be needed. 

Houston Food Bank (HFB) is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities, and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company's overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented, and diverse workforce. 

HFB is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to pregnancy), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.