FSQ Product Associate Manager

Lactalis USA; Minnetonka (MN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Lactalis USA Yogurt is seeking a FSQ Product Associate Manager based in Minneapolis, MN. You will lead quality, food safety, and regulatory strategies across our yogurt production locations, championing consumer-first design and ensuring products meet specifications throughout their lifecycle.

You will partner with Production Plants, R&D, Business, Supply Chain, and global Quality teams to drive continuous improvement, align with company goals, and promote best practices while traveling up to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; engineering/food science/microbiology preferred.
• 5+ years in Food Safety & Quality Yogurt.
• Knowledge of GFSI, HACCP, US food regulations (PMO, FDA).
• Understanding of statistical process control for product quality.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Lead quality, food safety and regulatory strategies for Lactalis US Yogurt production locations.
• Champion consumer-first product design and quality throughout the product life cycle.
• Lead improvement efforts in product quality and food safety.
• Facilitate plant floor evaluations, new equipment commissioning, and product launches.
• Collaborate with plants, R&D, Supply Chain, and global QA teams.
• Monitor opportunities using manufacturing and consumer data to drive action.
• Travel up to 25% and support cross-site coordination.

Skills

Quality management

Regulatory compliance

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Engineering, food science and/or microbiology

Job description

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we're committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive-whether you're just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we're proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani Italian cheeses and ricotta, President specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone's cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond cheddar, and Parmalat milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi's, Stonyfield Organic, Brown Cow, Oui, Yoplait, Go-Gurt, :ratio, Green Mountain Creamery, and Mountain High, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun, Gopi, and Arz.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values-Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone's unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis US Yogurt , part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a FSQ Product Associate Manager based in Minneapolis, MN. The FSQ Product Associate Manager, will lead quality and food safety strategies for our Lactalis US Yogurt (LUSY) facilities by championing our consumers' needs first via proper product design implementation followed by quality of manufactured product throughout the product life cycle. The role will support product projects across our portfolio of facilities. Additionally, the FSQ Product Associate Manager will partner with our Production Plants, R&D, Business, Supply Chain, and global Quality teams, along with external partners, to champion quality, safety and regulatory compliance of our products. to align duties with the company's goals and values. The FSQ Product Associate Manager will report to FSQ Product Senior Manager for Lactalis US Yogurt (LUSY).

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Lead quality, food safety and regulatory strategies for Lactalis US Yogurt production locations.
• Champion consumer first product design and quality as manufactured throughout the product life cycle. Ensure plants are capable of consistently delivering products within specification.
• Lead product quality and food safety improvement efforts.
• Facilitate plant floor evaluations, new equipment commissioning, new product launches and ongoing product evaluations. Focus on issue resolutions and promoting FSQ requirements for delivering superior products.
• Monitor and identify quality and food safety improvement opportunities leveraging manufacturing, customer and consumer data, determine next actions and influence the change.
• Maintain a close partnership with LUSY internal plants and collaborate on continuous improvement activities.
• Alerts senior management on major issues.
• Proactively share and promote best practices throughout the organization.
• Manage a portfolio of projects associated with 1-2 brands, support prioritization and escalation of critical points.
• Ensure consistency across all sites to deliver the best product quality possible.
• Collaborate with quality peers and management to implement innovation and best practices for more efficient operations.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following

Education

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• A major in engineering, food science and/or microbiology is preferred.

Experience

• 5+ years Food Safety & Quality Yogurt experience is required

Certifications and specific knowledge

• Solid knowledge of GFSI, HACCP, US food regulations, i.e. PMO, FDA
• Understanding of Food Safety & Quality as applied to our products
• Understanding of statistical process control and application for product quality.

Work Conditions

• Travel is required up to 25% monthly.
• Extended hours may be necessary depending on the project needs

Benefits

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis 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. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affi­