Quality Manager
Dairy Farmers of America
- Reading, PA
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Ensure daily plant quality and food safety operations are compliant with DFA policies, procedures and local, state and federal regulations
- Maintain audit readiness
- Maintain a robust food safety program and subsequent quality program
- Escalate non-conformance events to the quality director and plant manager
- Oversee plant sanitation to drive a robust sanitation program
- Ensure the plant pest control programs are current, followed, and utilized to enable proactive maintenance
- Manage the facility’s change control program to enable robust risk assessment and decisions
- Ensure compliance to specification, manufacturing instructions and preventive maintenance programs. Partner with operations to ensure preventive maintenance program is robust and adhered to
- Collaboratively lead investigations relating to non-conforming events driving to root cause(s) and effective resolution
- Manage hold and release programs
- Review records on a daily basis to ensure all records are completed as required and review/approval is current for preventive controls, laboratory, sanitation, production and verification checks
- Foster a positive and effective work culture with direct reports
- Identify and retain highly effective personnel through proper selection, training, and expectations. Develop and grow talent
- Track and report on plant quality key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Participate in the annual plant budgeting process
- Partner with the plant manager on identifying key capital projects that support food safety and quality initiatives
- Provide training to the plant personnel concerning food safety, Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and regulatory compliance
- Provide quality leadership during unplanned events or emergencies
- Provide visible leadership by participating in facility walk throughs and internal audits
- Engage and interact with all personnel on a regular basis assisting them with their challenges and questions concerning food safety
- Collaborate with R&D during new/reformulated product introduction to ensure compliance with already established specifications and regulatory requirements
- Serve as the point of contact for customer related issues, complaints or inquires
- Manage plant complaint investigations ensuring a thorough, effective, timely and customer facing response
- Monitor compliance to customer expectation and specifications; communicate any issues/concerns
- Maintain plant preparedness for customer and regulatory visits
- Be responsible for all analytical and micro activities performed at the facility
- Oversee the development of laboratory practices to ensure accurate and precise quality control (QC) results
- Perform data analysis to identify critical trends or find leading indicators to enable proactive decisions
- Coordinate the collection and evaluation of raw materials and finished products
- Ensure the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) is robust and risk based with a search and destroy mentality applied. Determine root cause of failures and take the appropriate corrective action
- Escalate nonconformances to quality director and plant manager in a timely fashion
- Coordinate and supervise factory and external lab testing of samples; generate Certificate of Analysis (COA’s)
- Maintain the quality management system and ensure documents are up to date and comply to the food safety and quality (FSQ) policies and standards
- Prepare plant specific work instructions as needed
- Ensure SSOP documents are robust and adhere to the sanitation standard
- Ensure all forms and work instructions are reviewed, revised, and updated annually
- Perform management activities such as administering employee promotions and transfers; conducting ongoing performance conversations; mentoring, training, and coaching employees
- Follow all DFA good manufacturing practices (GMP) and work in a manner consistent with all corporate regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements
- The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required
- Undergraduate degree in food science, biological sciences, or related curriculum (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
- 5 to 8 years of quality assurance or related experience in a food, beverage, or similar facility
- Demonstrated leadership attributes, team leadership, or supervisory experience; 1+ year of manager experience preferred
- Certification and/or License – PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner certifications preferred; may be required during course of employment
- Strong knowledge of both laboratory and plant current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs)
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and company computer systems
- Knowledge of principles and practices of supervision, training, and personnel management
- Skill in leadership and coaching
- Critical thinking, analysis, mathematical calculations, and statistical evaluations
- Able to organize and prioritize resources to achieve goals
- Able to multi-task; able to keep organized records; able to work with accuracy and attention to detail
- Able to translate accounting, financial, and KPI data into plant performance and determine steps to correct and improve
- Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, for a diverse range of internal and external audiences
- Able to work in collaboration effectively and foster good teamwork
- Able to take appropriate steps to find solutions to complex problems
- Able to present options and ideas to current processes or procedures
- Able to handle challenging or conflict situations with tact and professionalism
- Able to respond courteously and efficiently to inquiries, complaints, and requests
- Able to interpret and apply company policies
- Able to adapt and manage to change effectively
- Must be able to read, write and speak English