QA Manager

Description

McLane Classic Foods is a premier custom kettle-cooked food products company based in Burleson, Texas. Specializing in custom product development, we produce a wide range of kettle-cooked recipes for our regional and national chain restaurant partners. Our capabilities include an array of kettle-cooked food products, including soups, sauces, side dishes, and dips.

Schedule: This is a salaried position that will require you to be available to rotate between shifts.

• Ability to work non-business hours on occasions (pre-op, 2^nd shift, 3^rd shift).

Role and Responsibilities:

• The Quality Assurance Manager leads the quality assurance team, focusing on lab and compliance.
• The QA Manager manages the development, execution, and continuous improvement of MCF Quality and Food Safety systems.
• Has joint accountability with the Director of FSQA and Plant Leaders for effective execution of MCF Policy, Food Safety Plans, and Sanitation programs in the plant to ensure regulatory compliance with Food Safety and to meet customer-specific requirements.
• The QAM is responsible for establishing goals/expectations, measuring performance, coaching, hiring, and ensuring roadblocks are removed for direct reports.
• Provides on-site support as needed to plant QA teams in the event of personnel changes or other significant events.
• Accountable for key metrics for plant quality program execution, including customer complaints.
• Works directly with all departments to resolve issues that require investigation, audit, and corrective actions.
• Tracks and reports key plant quality metrics and establishes plans to consistently improve plant quality metrics. Establishes a continuous improvement process with the Quality Department.
• Monitors out-of-compliance issues and provides guidance to the plant on investigating serious escalated food safety issues; approves corrective actions on escalated issues and ensures that they are completed in a timely manner.
• Establishes programs, procedures, processes, or tools to strengthen the functional performance of the QA Department.
• Responsible for the development and training of personnel and overall managerial capabilities for self, subordinates, and indirect reports.
• Works collaboratively with the plant operation managers on a frequent basis regarding performance, plant performance, and food safety culture.
• Environmental Monitoring: Ensures Environmental Swabs, Air Plate, and ATP Swabs are performed as scheduled. Assists in completing investigation and CAPA reports related to EMP findings.
• Ensures calibrations and maintenance of production and laboratory equipment are performed according to schedule.
• Oversees product sampling to ensure it meets required specifications and escalates variances accordingly.
• Responsible for maintaining up-to-date and accurate records for BRC audits.
• Manages the QA Department in compliance with company policies.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensures compliance with all food safety policies, procedures, and regulatory criteria, including the current BRC code, Good Manufacturing Practices, and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), FSIS-USDA, and other regulatory certifying bodies.
• Partners with other departments for new product development tasks and provides assistance during test runs.
• Works with all key functions as needed to resolve and identify opportunities that have a direct impact on quality and food safety.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• BS minimum in a relevant science degree focus or equivalent experience.
• 3 years’ experience leading quality assurance and be familiar with sanitation practices and programs.
• 3 years of owning total site food safety and quality programs, end to end.
• Project management and people management experience required.
• Must have Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification per 21 CFR 117 and/or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification.
• Food or beverage manufacturing experience required.
• Strong sanitation experience desired.

Knowledge and Skills:

• The incumbent to this position needs a solid technical understanding of food science, food safety/microbiology, and quality assurance principles and must have practical experience applying this knowledge in a food manufacturing environment.
• Must demonstrate strong project management, influencing, and problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis, risk assessment, and corrective action.
• Must be self-motivated and be able to meet deadlines that are set.
• Must be able to communicate with all personnel.