Product Control Manager

The Manager of the Product Control Division is responsible for supporting and enhancing product development through import / export operations, domestic purchasing, contract manufacturing, and wholesale distribution. This position ensures compliance with FDA, USDA, state, and local regulations, as well as CFIA standards for Canada while overseeing supplier compliance with FDA FSMA, Canada SFCR, and other relevant regulations. Responsibilities include verifying supplier compliance by reviewing HACCP, Preventive Controls, FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Program), and PCP (Preventive Control Plan in Canada). Additionally, this role involves communication with the product department, sales branches, suppliers, and other internal divisions to support food regulations and maintain accurate product information.

This position requires expertise in all aspects of product control, including compliance with regulations in the U.S. and other countries, strategic thinking, and the skills to lead various product control initiatives. This position requires the ability to plan, implement, and lead the operation of measures hands-on while keeping the big picture in mind. They are also expected to have individual interpersonal management skills, such as establishing internal and external networks and proposing creative solutions to business unit issues from the perspective of a product control expert when necessary. The incumbent will be expected to have individual interpersonal management skills.

• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for product control based on the company's business strategy and objectives, and drive continuous improvement, as well as leading external stakeholder engagement, including audits of outsourced factories.
• Lead the response to any food manufacturing or product control-related incidents that may occur.
• Actively pursues continuous process and product control improvement as measured by internal indices and external audits / reports.
• Manages activities relating to determining and reporting causes of non-conformances, as well as implementing corrective actions and process improvements; provides appropriate retraining.
• Execute the above measures in a hands-on and hands-off manner, depending on the situation.
• Maintains compliance with all regulatory requirements to include but not limited to FDA, USDA, and CFIA. Develop the necessary training modules to ensure that personnel and employees understand and can execute established procedures while meeting all regulatory requirements.
• Create any needed SOPs and review, correct, and improve upon any current SOPs.
• Conduct audits of suppliers and third-party laboratories in compliance with various regulatory agencies.
• Documents various work according to established procedures and guidelines provides timely and effective oral and written communication and prepares reports (in English and / or Japanese) to the project team to ensure complete communication of project status,
• progress, issues, solutions, timeline, and accountability.
• Prepare, review, and submit compliance reports to local, state / federal environmental regulatory agencies and key personnel.
• Support new products, and new supplier qualifications, working with the Product Management Department, Procurement, Logistics, and other divisions as needed.
• Involved in the hiring, retention, motivation, and development of qualified personnel in QA / Compliance positions.
• Assists with new employee orientation, job function, Quality Assurance / Control, and developmental training to employees as required by Standard Operating Procedures, Certification programs, and corporate requirements.

Experience / Training / Education

Knowledge, Skills, and Ability