Quality Manager, Linden, NJ

Job Summary

Under direction of the Vice President of Mfg Operations and Technical Services, the Plant Quality Manager coordinates and leads all aspects of the Quality Assurance and Food Safety/Defense programs at Walden Farms. Primary duties include managing the plants third-party audits, developing, revising, and implementing the HACCP plan, ensuring all employees are trained in and follow Good Manufacturing Practices, conducting internal audits, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Other duties include managing outside contractors as they relate to food safety (pest control, uniforms, sanitation, laboratory equipment), investigating/resolving customer complaints and ensuring compliance to all applicable food safety and regulatory requirements such as FDA, FSMA, CFIA, CODEX, etc. as required.

Essential Functions (Other duties as assigned)

• Instrumental in maintaining food safety procedures, policies and the assurance and verification of compliance.
• Leads the development and implementation of the facility food safety, employee safety and quality training program.
• Establishes Continuous Improvement initiatives and annual goals for the Quality Assurance program to assure excellent product quality, optimal efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Develops tools to report on KPIs, analyze trends, and drive continuous process and quality improvements.
• Acts as vital team member of Walden Farms plant leadership team with the Facilities leadership teams and other departments to support production, manage QA issues, daily dispositions, and resolutions as needed.
• Coordinates company HACCP & HARPC program implementation, training, recordkeeping, and all related issues.
• Responsible for reporting food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance concerns.
• Oversees staff, organizes, and conducts internal audits; also oversees work with outside third-party auditing company.
• Organizes and oversees all internal product testing, physical and sensory: raw ingredients, packaging components, mid-production, and finished product evaluation as needed.
• Organizes, reviews, reports and manages all outside lab testing.
• Responsible for keeping all product retains and records, in compliance with regulations.
• Works with corporate technical teams to for fulfillment of customer requirements, including new product development.
• Coordinate product line extension validation process and documentation with the manufacturing team.
• Manage outside contractors such as Pest Control, Sanitation Chemicals and uniform vendors.
• Manages EHS training and implementation of the safety program as directed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or a related field
• HACCP Certified
• 5 years of experience in managing a team of food safety, QA professionals in a food/ personal care/ nutritional supplement/ pharmaceutical manufacturing environment
• Bilingual preferred (Spanish)
• Proven record of success in managing 3rd party audit experience
• Experience coaching and mentoring department members
• FSMA Certified (PCQI) or experience with FSMA; able to test finished foods and record results to meet FSMA requirements
• Proven record of success in applying comprehensive, hands on knowledge of process controls, design of experiments, and root cause analysis
• Ability to conduct lab analyses, generate data, interpret results, and track trends
• Proven record of success in implementing process improvements
• Organized, process-driven, and detail oriented
• Must be able to perform mathematical calculation and analysis
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and database programs

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Other Characteristics

• Strong leadership skills that inspire team confidence, collaboration and respect while motivating team members to contribute to continual improvement efforts
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Excellent critical thinking skills utilizing problem solving and root-cause analysis
• Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to build and maintain good working relationships with others within the organization, suppliers, and customers
• Proficient in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, Visio), statistical analysis software (Minitab), and various business systems (e-Synergy, Macola, Crystal Reports, ADP)
• Sense of urgency in completing tasks daily with accuracy