ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES: Primary responsibilities include partnering with facility team members at all levels and management, to ensure food safety best practices and processes are implemented and maintained. Additional duties include:

• Supervises QA and Production team members to ensure regulatory compliance in QA and Food Safety processes, adherence to protocols and audit inspections, pre-op, USDA, etc and advises on needed actions or corrections.
• Partners with the QA and operations management team to ensure food safety best practices and processes.
• Verifies the daily production plan, and any immediate needs to be addressed. May conduct pre-operation and other inspections, may reject materials or products, completes environmental swabbing and quality testing.
• Maintain quality control systems and product or process verification systems, including sampling procedures and analytical tests to ensure all products produced meet food safety quality requirements.
• Provide overall leadership, development, and talent management for direct reports, which may include scheduling, hiring, performance management, training, and coaching employees.
• Maintain documentation in support of RTE specification requirements.
• Conduct and facilitate internal and external quality audits, documenting findings, and next steps.
• Validates QA processes that may include receiving, temperature documents, and inspection of delivery trucks (Assure accurate completion of Receiving logs). Ensure FIFO is followed, proper allergen segregation and labeling.
• Use the PPRO app to do receiving inspections, as well as setting up the app and check reports in PPRO.
• Complete established USDA swabbing and shelf-life tests of product samples as required. Calibrate test equipment-Scales and Thermometers. Ensure the thermometer calibration logs are complete.
• Collect samples, fill out order sheets, pack, and ship samples to the lab, as required.
• Maintain and organize Food Safety and Quality Assurance daily records. Maintain and monitor inventory product retains and spot-check department documentation for accuracy and compliance.
• Monitor / evaluate cleanliness and 5S standards.

• Document downtime related problems and corrective actions taken when associated with a QA hold or action that interrupts production.
• Ensure quality checks and preventive critical control points (CCP) monitoring (temperature logs, sanitation, labeling checks, net weight, package integrity, and package integrity checks) are completed routinely.
• Builds skills and knowledge among team members and identifies areas needing improvement to discuss with QA management.

• May assist with evaluating vendors or suppliers for compliance with internal standards and external regulations and suggest changes with the goal of improving processes or products.
• Support plant Safety Meetings as directed with all management and plant leadership to address and review employee safety or food safety concerns.
• Ensure SOP’s related to Food Safety Management Systems, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s) and Sanitation are being followed.
• Conduct a variety of periodic and routine audits to document adherence to company standards, third-party standards, policy, and procedures. Leads and manages third-party audits such as GFSI, organic, customer, etc.
• Continuously inspect and monitor size, weight, variety, and grade of individual containers of outside purchased fruit and document findings.
• Support plant Safety Meetings as directed with all management and plant leadership to address and review employee safety or food safety concerns.
• Attend trainings and seminars as directed to maintain knowledge of current laws and regulations, changes, and research in regard to produce food safety.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES

• College Degree in Agriculture, Post-harvest Physiology, Food Science, Food Technology, or related field. Significant related experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 4 years of progressively responsible QA supervisory or Team Lead experience
• Will consider a 2 year degree with 4-6 years of equivalent experience
• Experience supervising others in a food-related work environment preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communicator
• Proficient use of MS Office software and a working knowledge of common applications such as ProducePro
• HACCP certification and plan development experience (basic and/or advanced HACCP training)
• Demonstrated ability to remain professional and diplomatic when working under pressure
• A good understanding of English, bilingual (Spanish) speaking skills is helpful, but not required

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES

• Must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to interact with a great variety of people tactfully and skillfully, often under stressful conditions
• Excellent time management skills with proven ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to apply critical and logical thinking skills
• Ability to analyze data using spreadsheets, formulas, statistical tools, etc.
• Ability to work within a fast-paced dynamic environment and multi-task effectively
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability and initiative to multi-task throughout the day, with attention to detail
• Trained in OSHA requirements or expectations, HACCP, First Aid/CPR, and Food Hygiene

PAY RANGE

• The salary range for this position is: $66,560 - $102,000.
• The base salary we reasonably expect to pay for this position is: $66,560 - $75,000.
• The actual salary for this role will be determined by a variety of factor, including but not limited to the candidate’s skills and experience.
• Please note that Base Pay is one important aspect of a compelling competitive Rewards package. The base pay range indicated here does not include any additional benefits or cash bonuses that you may be eligible for based on your role and/or employment type.

WORK DEMANDS / PHYSICAL DEMANDS: This position may work a varying schedule including early or late hours and weekends, when necessary. While performing the duties of this Job work is primarily performed indoors or in a chilled food manufacturing environment for prolonged periods. Regularly required to stand, walk, squat, stoop, bend, reach, talk and hear. Required to use hands and fingers to handle, lift, feel, push, or pull objects. Exerts up to 50 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs. of force frequently. Often required to lift and carry 10 lbs. to move objects. Sedentary work is required when completing some administrative functions. Exposed to chilled or warm temperatures outdoors or within the operation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Calavo Growers is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind. Calavo is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Calavo are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Calavo will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.