Description

TITLE: Senior Manager, Industrial Quality

REPORTS TO: Quality Control Director

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is currently seeking candidates to join our team in Chicago, IL. 

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you!

Lactalis Heritage Dairy: inviting you to share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE.

From your PASSION to ours

The Senior Manager, Industrial Qualityis responsible for the development, management, and control of a wide range of programs and activities that ensure product safety and quality at Lactalis Heritage Dairy (LHD). This position will lead a team that supports all aspects of industrial quality (CPM reduction, environmental policy, CODIV tracking, plant audits etc.). 

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Develops programs that ensure product safety and quality at LHD. 
• Coordinates and the investigation of complaints with manufacturing teams in all realms of activity: manufacturing, foreign objects, and product quality and safety complaint trends. Determines the root cause of issues and recommends corrective actions and ensures implementation. Provides guidance to Industrial Quality team members throughout the complaint investigation process and ensures the team monitors and follows up with the manufacturing plants. 
• Prepares customer/consumer complaint responses based on internal investigation findings. Ensures Complaints per Million Units (CPM) is calculated, and reports are distributed to internal stakeholders in a timely manner. Reviews and approves the responses of team members. Ensures final consumer complaint reports are distributed to internal (LHD & Laval) stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Ensures all team members are correctly tracking industrial CODIV with the manufacturing plants.
• Ensures Industrial Quality team conducts quarterly and yearly audits of the plants and acts as back up auditor. 
• Assists team members with the issue resolution process involving technical services (pest control, laboratory etc.). Acts as main contact for external laboratories. 
• Assists plants with lowering CPM.
• Works closely with Lab and Sensory relays.
• Supports the plants in developing and/or updating HAACP programs and procedures.
• Owns new projects related to Industrial Quality.
• Ensures all required reports are distributed on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. 
• Ensures finished goods have appropriate analytical criteria using industry and Groupe Lactalis standards. 
• Ensures flow of information into SAP/MDG is complete, all document and data management systems are current, and all finished product specifications are available and up to date.
• Ensures industrial quality Capex is identified and communicated.
• Manages direct reports through developing and training, directing, monitoring, and coaching. Sets annual goals for team, routinely provides clear and actionable feedback. Conducts mid-year and year-end appraisals. Partners with HR on all employee relations issues. 
• Partners with Director, Quality Control to create new job descriptions, interviews candidates and makes selection decisions.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in microbiology, food science, dairy science, or life sciences is required.

Experience

• 8 years related experience, including active involvement in Quality Programs in a cheese manufacturing environment.
• 5 years’ experience managing direct reporting team members. 

Specialized Knowledge

• Strong cheese chemistry knowledge. 
• Experience within Groupe Lactalis is preferred. 
• Solid knowledge of GFSI, HACCP, US food regulations.
• Proficiency with data management portals.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel. 
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong organizational skills and proven attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize and manage projects in a changing, complex environment.
• Collaborative & pragmatic mindset.
• Ability to travel up to 70% and/or extended/off-work hours.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.