Quality Assurance Manager

Company Description:

Located in Dyersville, IA, our brand new 100,000 sq ft facility is where Grainwell manufactures a range of innovative puffed products using state-of-the-art, all-new puffing and support systems like air compressors and steam generators. As the only facility of its kind in North America, we are poised for significant growth in the "good for you" food sector. If you're seeking a challenge and want to contribute to our expanding company, join our team to experience personal growth as we build our future together.

Why Grainwell?

You'll be joining a dedicated, purposeful team that feels like family. Grainwell offers competitive pay, great benefits, growth opportunities, extensive in-house training on our unique equipment, and more! If you're looking for a challenge, and for the chance to be part of something special, we'd love to have you on our team.

Duties and responsibilities:

This position manages and implements quality assurance, quality control, and food safety processes for food ingredient production and facility operations.

• Maintain a positive attitude at all times while nurturing a safe, kind, respectful, and competitive environment.
• Nurture a safe, kind, respectful, and competitive environment.
• Act as SQF practitioner to lead and maintain the SQF program and subsequent quality program compliances within the facility.
• Overseeing and implementing HACCP, SQF, GMP, and other food safety and quality programs for the plant.
• Overseeing and serving as the primary contact for the Gluten Free (GFCO) program.
• Create and implement Quality Systems and document Standard Operating Procedures and maintain compliance with quality assurance programs, policies, processes, and procedures relative to plant, customer, and governmental and auditing agencies.
• Directly responsible for implementation and maintenance of the food safety plan to ensure that all prerequisite programs, preventive controls, and critical control points perform within expected standards.
• Provide leadership, training, and support to all plant employees on Quality and GMP issues. Conduct food safety, SQF-required, and other necessary training annually and as needed.
• Conduct GMP and sanitation audits.
• Review quality trends, track root cause of quality failures, and coordinate corrective actions. Lead in all corrective and preventive actions necessary as related to the identification of food safety issues.
• Aid in conducting root cause analysis and utilizes other quality /problem solving techniques to resolve quality issues including product holds, customer complaints, and GMP’s issues.
• Monitor for compliance to established SSOP’s. Document infractions, corrective actions, and preventative action on SSOP’s. Assure Corrective and Preventative action takes place in a timely manner.
• Performs all third party, customer audits and inspections. Seeks to establish constructive working relationships with inspectors and auditors.
• Direct supervision of the plant QA Department and the Sanitation Team.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as food science, chemistry, biology, or a related discipline.
• 7 years of experience in quality assurance and control within the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or nutraceutical manufacturing industry.
• Proven ability to lead and manage a team effectively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to conduct root cause analysis.
• Knowledge of relevant industry regulations and quality standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high levels of accuracy in quality control processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Relevant quality certifications such as HACCP, PCQI, SQF Practitioner, etc.

Working Conditions:

• Indoor working conditions.
• May be exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels, such as from production equipment.
• Exposure to hot parts on equipment.
• May involve exposure to cleaning chemicals and allergens.

Physical Requirements:

• Able to lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.
• May be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, and keyboard.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.

Direct Reports:

• Quality Technician
• Laboratory Technician
• Sanitation Technician