Consumer Relations & Product Quality Coordina

UrbanFarmer LLC.; Manteno (IL); Hybrid; USD 3,306,000 - 3,857,000; Full time

Job summary

Urban Farmer LLC is seeking a skilled Consumer Relations & Product Quality Coordinator to safeguard the brand by managing consumer feedback, investigating root causes, and guiding continuous improvement across customer-facing platforms.

You will liaise between Sales, Quality, R&D, and Customer Service to ensure timely resolution of complaints, robust documentation, and regulatory alignment across the organization.

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science, Quality Management or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 2+ years of experience in food manufacturing, quality assurance, or consumer relations.
• Working knowledge of food safety systems (SQF, HACCP, GMPs) and customer quality portals.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and identify trends.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across multiple departments.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); TraceGains or GS1 experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Receive, log, and categorize consumer complaints from customers, retailers, and internal teams.
• Support investigations by coordinating with Production, QA, Sanitation, and Maintenance.
• Draft initial investigation summaries and assist with CAPA development and verification.
• Track complaint response timelines, CAPA actions, and open items to ensure alignment with requirements.
• Maintain complaint databases and QA trackers; prepare trend summaries and dashboards.
• Coordinate customer sample requests and maintain chain-of-custody and traceability.
• Prepare and ship samples verifying accuracy, safety, packaging, and documentation.
• Assist with QA leadership on audits, new product launches, and improvements.
• Support QA with training materials or quality alerts as needed.
• Assist with data requests and documentation audits.
• Coordinate scheduling of product cuttings and sensory evaluations, capturing panel feedback and characteristics.

Skills

Analytical skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Organization

Multi-project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/Quality Management

Associate degree in related field (or equivalent experience)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PowerPoint

TraceGains

GS1

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Consumer Relations & Product Quality Coordina

6 days ago Requisition ID: 1337

Salary Range: $24.00 To $28.00 Hourly

Overview:

The Consumer Relations & Product Quality Coordinator plays a key role in protecting Urban Farmer’s brand reputation by managing consumer feedback, driving root-cause investigations, supporting continuous improvement efforts, and ensuring product quality across all customer-facing platforms. This position serves as the main liaison between Sales, Quality, R&D, and Customer Service to ensure timely resolution of consumer complaints, robust documentation, and alignment with regulatory and customer requirements. The role also leads internal product cuttings and manages quality-related customer databases and portals.

Key Responsibilities:

Consumer Complaint Management

• Receive, log, and categorize consumer complaints from customers, retailers, and internal teams, ensuring complete and accurate complaint records.
• Support investigations by coordinating with Production, QA, Sanitation, and Maintenance, and compiling relevant documentation (batch records, metal detector logs, allergen records, weight checks, and related data).
• Draft initial investigation summaries, elevate complex or high-risk complaints to QA leadership, and assist with CAPA development and verification.
• Track complaint response timelines, CAPA actions, and open items to ensure alignment with internal, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain complaint databases and QA trackers, and prepare monthly and quarterly complaint trend summaries and dashboards to support data-driven decision-making.

Customer Sample Coordination & Management

• Serve as the primary coordinator for all customer sample requests, including sales, complaint-related, audit, and quality inquiry samples.
• Receive, log, and track sample requests to ensure complete and accurate details (product, lot/date codes, quantity, destination, and purpose).
• Coordinate with Production, QA, Warehouse, R&D, and Sales to identify, verify, and release correct samples while maintaining traceability and lot integrity.
• Prepare and ship samples by verifying accuracy, food safety and allergen compliance, packaging, temperature control, documentation, and shipment logistics.
• Maintain chain-of-custody and sample documentation, and communicate sample status, issues, or delays to relevant stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Communication & Support

• Participate in weekly quality meetings to collect relevant information for complaint investigations.
• Communicate missing details or needed follow‑ups to production supervisors, QA technicians, or sanitation leads.
• Support QA leadership on special projects, customer audits, new product launches, and continuous improvement activities.
• Assist with training materials or quality alerts when complaint trends or cutting results identify needed updates.

Customer Database & Documentation Support

• Assist customer service with gathering information in retailer, third‑party, and certification portals (SQF, TraceGains, GS1, GFCO, customer portals).
• Upload COAs, allergen statements, nutritional documentation, audit responses, and specification updates under guidance from QA leadership.
• Support QA leadership during customer documentation audits by preparing files, organizing data, and responding to basic data requests.

Product Cuttings & Sensory Evaluation

• Coordinate the scheduling of routine product cuttings for finished goods and R&D product trials.
• Prepare cutting sessions by gathering product samples, organizing cutting rooms, tools, and scorecards.
• Assist in conducting sensory evaluations by capturing panel feedback and documenting characteristics such as:
  • Appearance, texture, color
  • Weight and physical measurements
  • Bake performance and defects
  • Flavor consistency
  • Packaging integrity
• Record any deviations and notify and provide report to QA team.
• Maintain organized digital and physical files of all cutting results for reference and trend analysis.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by Management.

Qualifications :

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Quality Management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 2+ years of experience in food manufacturing, quality assurance, or consumer relations.
• Working knowledge of food safety systems (SQF, HACCP, GMPs) and customer quality portals.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and identify trends.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate across multiple departments.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); experience with TraceGains or GS1 is a plus.