Lead Specialist, Quality

The J.M. Smucker Company; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 78,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

The J.M. Smucker Company in Buffalo, NY seeks a Lead Specialist, Quality to drive continuous improvement in quality, food safety, and sanitation programs at our on-site plant.

You will lead the Quality Team, coach team leads, ensure regulatory and GMP audit readiness, support customer complaints and traceability, and collaborate with operations to prevent defects.

Requirements include a bachelor’s degree and 2 years in quality/ops, strong computer skills, and leadership ability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• 2+ years of operations, food science, or quality assurance experience.
• Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to coach, teach and lead others in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

Responsibilities

• Manage and build upon existing Quality Systems, Food Safety Programs, Environmental/Sanitation Programs and Preventive Controls to assure regulatory compliance.
• Lead day-to-day activities of the Quality Team Leaders and provide coaching to teams.
• Ensure audit readiness for GMP, SQMS, and third-party audits; support customer complaints investigations and traceability.
• Drive defect reduction by collaborating with production teams and leadership to prevent quality issues.

Skills

QA/Quality Assurance

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Technical Food Science/Microbiology/Bacteriology degree

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Lead Specialist, Quality

Your Opportunity as the Lead Specialist Quality

The Lead Specialist Quality (full time exempt position) will drive continuous improvement in the plant Quality Food Safety and Sanitation Programs.

• Location: Buffalo NY manufacturing plant
• Work Arrangements: 100% on-site
• Must be able to work proactively and independently in a fast-paced environment and willing to work off shift including nights weekends or holidays to meet manufacturing demands.
• Reports to: Quality Assurance Manager
• Direct Reports: (6) direct reports

In this role you will:

• Work within the manufacturing facility to manage and build upon existing Quality Systems Food Safety Programs Environmental/Sanitation Programs & Preventive Controls to assure regulatory compliance.
• Be a member of the Food Safety & Food Defense Teams.
• Lead and Direct day-to-day activities of the Quality Team Leaders
• Provide coaching to Quality Team Leads & Plant Operations teams on food safety quality systems and day-to-day quality issues
• Ensure compliance and audit readiness for prerequisite programs.
• Assist in maintaining audit readiness for Corporate Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Government agencies Smucker Quality Management Systems (SQMS) British Retail Consortium (BRC) or other third-party audits
• Supports Food Safety systems and Proficy items related to Process Quality (055 Report)
• Lead and Support plant wide Preventive Control required annual training
• Support Quality Incident/Escalation Event Storyboard creation (i.e. Gemba walk Initial Investigation Sanitation Activities)
• Participate in Plant required internal audits including but not limited to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) audits G&B Plastic Audits and Behavior Observation Survey (BOS) Audits
• Trained/qualified in completion of Finished Goods release from Maturity Hold.
• Must be proficient in the Quality Management Systems used in the facility.
• Audits records of finished goods testing results procedures and monitoring activities
• Support processes and activities necessary for the cleaning and sanitizing of the entire plant
• Lead and support necessary activities for mitigation of environmental and finished product PCT events
• Assists in Customer Complaint Investigations
• Maintain calendar for Quality related activities including but not limited to Pre-Operational inspections Start-Up inspections and coverage for outages (vacation/leave)
• Provide direct feedback as necessary to ensure the Quality Team Leaders are meeting the requirements of the job
• Provide assistance and recommendations to the Quality Leadership team with regards to Food Safety Quality and Sanitation processes and improvements
• Drive out defects in the process through collaboration with the production teams and leadership to prevent and correct food safety and quality issues
• Facilitate preventative and corrective actions as needed
• Assist in all internal and external quality and regulatory audits to ensure plant compliance.
• Recall and Traceability team member
• Supports Smucker Quality Management Systems (SQMS) and is an owner of Key Elements

Compensation

Compensation range: $77500 - $108350

The Right Place for You

We are bold kind strive to do the right thing we play to win and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical emotional and financial needs.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree
• 2 years operations food science or quality assurance experience
• Strong computer skills - word excel power point etc.
• Organizational critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Effective communication (both oral and written) and interpersonal skills
• Ability to coach teach and lead others
• Highly adaptable and flexible to a dynamic environment
• Previous manufacturing or operations experience

Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role

• A Technical Food Science Microbiology or Bacteriology degree
• Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Certification/Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) Training
• Better Process Control Certification
• Prior audit experience
• Strong chemistry mathematics and/or statistical background
• Experience directing and managing a team

Learn more about working at Smucker:

• Our Total Rewards Benefits Program
• Our Thriving Together Philosophy
• Supporting All Impacted by Our Business
• Our Continued Progress on Inclusion Diversity and Equity