Quality Assurance Manager

Overview

Marzetti Company is looking for a Quality Assurance Manager - Top technical individual at the plant level. This position leads the plant in assessing food safety and quality related to all aspects of the facility. Leads and participates in initiatives to improve products and processes related to quality, food safety and consistency. As a key member of the plant management team, assists the plant manager in providing quality and food safety leadership to employees. The Quality Manager will participate in / lead projects in conjunction with Corporate Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory management. 

Responsibilities

Essential Functions/Primary Responsibilities: 

• Ensures compliance to quality, food safety and HAACP programs; assures conformity to all company, customer, and government standards. 
• Makes recommendations and decisions involving food safety and quality issues having significant potential business impact to corporate and plant management. 
• Develops and implements programs, policies, procedures, and work instructions for quality and food safety assessment and improvement. 
• Coordinates plant quality and food safety audits (internal and third party). Works with plant manager to assign audit responsibilities to various members of the plant team. 
• Serves as a key technical resource in plant and as a liaison between corporate R&D, Technical Services and plant operations. 
• Resolves non-conformance issues/quality problems at plant facilities, warehouses, and in the market. Works with plant management team to develop corrective action plans and communicates plans to QA management, sales, marketing, and the customer as appropriate. 
• Recommends and/or develops orientation and training programs for quality, food safety, GMP training. Assists members of the plant team in training as appropriate. Trains and instructs plant employees in recommended quality assurance testing and general housekeeping practices and advises on equipment sanitation; confirms these procedures are being maintained. 
• Reports on key Quality Indicators to plant and corporate management 

Qualifications

Qualification Requirements: 

• BS degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Microbiology, Chemistry, or other similar science related field. 
• Minimum 5-year food manufacturing experience, Quality Management, or Food Safety Leadership. 
• Deep knowledge of food regulations, industry standards and best practices (FSMA, HACCP, GFSI, GMP).  Certifications preferred (Certified Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCQI), HACCP, etc.). 

• Comprehensive knowledge of food microbiology, food safety hazards and controls, and preservation techniques. 
• Lean Six Sigma/Continuous Improvement/Statistics Experience desired. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify risks, develop effective solutions, and make data driven decisions. 
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain programs. 
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with an ability to convey complex concepts and regulations to diverse audiences.  Ability to delegate and monitor others. 

Supervisory Responsibility:  

• Directly supervises Quality Assurance team. 

Competencies

Competencies: 

• Decision Quality 
• Customer Focus 
• Communicates Effectively 
• Collaborates 
• Improves Work Processes 
• Plans and Aligns 
• Instills Trust 
• Manages Ambiguity 

Working Conditions/Environment

Working Conditions/Environment:  

Works in a laboratory and manufacturing environment where the employee is regularly required to speak, read, sit, stand, walk, reach, lift, grasp, and bend. Requires some lifting of moderately heavy items such as test equipment and product cases. The employee is regularly exposed to moving machines and handling of hazardous testing and sanitation chemicals. The noise level in the lab is moderate and loud in the plant. Hairnets, beard nets (if facial hair exists), earplugs, safety glasses and steel-toed/slip resistant shoes are required in the plant in accordance with company GMP and safety standards.