Biomedical Livestock Tissue Specialist

Position Overview

For over 40 years, quality has been at the core of everything we do. Founded in 1979, WG Provisions has provided high quality meats and life-improving biomedical products. WG Provisions has offered quality products and exceptional service proven by our loyal, long-standing customers. We create relationships that deliver the consistent quality and service needed to overcome our customers’ challenges.

The Biomedical division is committed to building meaningful partnerships based off quality, integrity, and teamwork. WG Biomedical is a leading supplier of animal tissue to the medical device and pharmaceutical industry. We partner with abattoirs (livestock harvest facilities) to source livestock tissue that is utilized for life improving medical devices and medication. We partner with our customers to provide this tissue while meeting their specifications and regulatory needs.

This role will serve as the lead in our developing and continuing relationships with our abattoir (slaughter facility) partners. The Abattoir and Tissue Specialist is responsible for driving growth, vendor quality, and customer satisfaction in the Biomedical division. They will interface with our abattoir partners regarding training, orders, tissue procurement, potential tissue solutions, customer concerns and audits. The overall goal of this role is to drive growth and maintain the quality care provided to both our abattoir partners and our customers. This position will work closely with the Biomedical Customer Specialist and President/Owner to achieve the goals of the Biomedical division.

This position is based in Ames, Iowa with travel required to our abattoir partners. It is estimated to be 20% to 40% travel with somewhat seasonal fluctuations.

Responsibilities

Abattoir Collections, Packaging, and Shipping Operations

• Resolve issues regarding tissue quality, documentation for shipments and training
• Review weekly orders and ensure the abattoir can accommodate the requested volume
• Distribute weekly orders
• Check incoming certificates of compliance for completeness or correctness and make appropriate corrections as needed.
• Relay order information and paperwork to customers as the abattoirs fill and ship orders.
• Maintain abattoir training records and FSIS forms
• Communicate changes in procedures and processes are communicated to our abattoir partners
• Provide and manage staffing support to ensure shipment needs are met
• Train facilities in the collection and processing of animal tissue per customer requirements.
• Maintain a regular training schedule for all partner abattoirs
• Create shipping labels when needed
• Request supplies from customers in the event our partner abattoir requests more supplies
• Maintain relationships with abattoirs, including communicating expectations and monitoring performance

Team Management and Development

• Interview prospective biomedical tissue collection technicians
• Manage relationship with temporary employment agencies
• Daily management of Biomedical tissue collection team members
• Manage absences, work schedules and timecard approvals
• Monitor the performance of tissue collection team members
• Develop and train collection team members according to customers’ requirements
• Ensure training records are maintained
• Ensure training on filling out necessary tissue documentation

Abattoir Quality Assurance

• Coordinate and plan audits working with abattoir staff
• Enter and monitor data on product feedback reports given by customers.

Regulatory Management

• Maintain record retention in compliance with medical, business, harvest, FDA, and other regulatory requirements
• Ensure our ISO 9001 system is enforced, maintained, and in compliance
• Participate in ISO 9001 audits and responses to any audit recommendations
• Facilitate regulatory meetings between our customers and abattoir partners and assist in answering any regulatory questions.

Abattoir Billing and Reporting

• Review invoices from Abattoirs for all shipments; resolve discrepancies; ensure timely payment to vendors
• Report on orders requested vs. filled and other KPI indicators

Business Development

• Plan discussions as needed with partner facilities regarding, ability and interest in new opportunities.
• Expand abattoir partner base
• Perform initial meetings to gauge interest
• Tour the facility and discuss needs, expectations
• Maintain and communicate timelines
• Perform market research
• Explore new products and availability at new and current vendor partners
• Serve as a livestock tissue expert within the biomedical industry with a focus on abattoirs

Customer Management

• Interface and communicate with customers from startups to world renown medical companies, serving as an abattoir specialist
• Ensure customer expectations are being met at abattoirs
• Resolve tissue quality issues and discrepancies
• Perform customer audits as needed; travel is required
• Ensure information regarding abattoir volume capabilities and abattoir availability are relayed to our customers via the Customer Specialist
• Advise on new customer collection procedures
• Partner with Biomedical Customer Specialist on above, with a focus on the abattoir components of issues, ideas, and solution to further customer satisfaction and growth

Biomedical Team

• Fill in for the Biomedical Customer Specialist in the case of an absence due to vacation, work travel, emergency, etc.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Skills:

• 4 year animal science, meats science or veterinary science degree or equivalent required
• Strong interest in working with abattoirs/slaughter facilities; developing training and quality plans
• Strong understanding of animal anatomy
• Desire to teach and train collection technicians
• Passion for working in an Abattoir setting
• Able to work with abattoirs and customers ranging from startups to large international organizations
• Ability to work with a distributed team from WG personnel to abattoir personnel to temporary employees to customer staff
• Strong analytical work ethic, attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong computer skills; basic-to-intermediate skill level in Microsoft Excel
• Role model of sound judgement, personal responsibility, meeting deadlines and team player
• Highly organized and detail oriented
• Ability and interest in ensuring compliance with various regulatory, abattoir, and customer requirements
• Self-motivated, responsive; excellent verbal and written communication, tact
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task and prioritize work
• Desire to develop and grow business
• Passion for agriculture, livestock, and meat industry

Reports to: Darren Dies, President

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $45,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Overtime

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Ames, IA 50010: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: One location