Quality Assurance Manager

Country Fresh, Inc.; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Country Fresh, Inc. is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager in the United States to lead QA systems, food safety programs, and HACCP implementation across our facilities.

The role reports to the Plant Manager and collaborates with the Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance to drive quality improvements and regulatory compliance. The successful candidate will develop and oversee SQF plans, align supplier specifications with customer requirements, and manage documentation, testing, and staff

Qualifications

• BS degree in Food Science or relevant discipline or equivalent related experience.
• 5+ years of food industry experience in FDA/USDA regulated environment.
• Comprehensive experience developing HACCP programs, SQF, GFSI, and GMO systems and food safety strategy.
• Prefer background in RTE or high-risk foods.
• Ability to work independently as a self-starter.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Past supervision and management experience.
• Analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Detail oriented.
• Ability to communicate effectively to management, customers and cross functional areas.

Responsibilities

• Promote the food safety and quality achievement and performance improvement throughout the organization.
• Set QA compliance objectives and see that targets are met. Perform raw material checks, micro tests, routine process checks, and product checks as required.
• Maintain awareness of the business context and company profitability, including budgetary and control issues.
• Align product specifications of the company and its suppliers to the customer requirements.
• Ensure compliance with national and international standards and legislation. (FDA)
• Consider the application of environmental, health, and safety standards.
• Uphold standards and establish clearly defined quality methods for staff to apply.
• Define quality procedures working together with the operating staff.
• Set up and maintain controls and documentation procedures. Review and verify all QA paperwork in an organized manner.
• Identify relevant quality-related training needs.
• Gather and analyze performance data against defined parameters.
• Ensure tests and procedures are properly understood, carried out, and evaluated for success. Monitor shipping and receiving procedures.
• Supervise technical staff by carrying out tests and checks.
• Write technical and management systems reports.
• Bring together staff of difference disciplines and driving the group to plan, formulate, and implement comprehensive quality procedures.
• Persuade reluctant staff to change and incorporate quality methods while working.
• Communicate with customers’ auditors and ensure the execution of corrective action and compliance with customer’s specifications.
• Establish standards of service for customers or clients.
• Lead integration of the current quality assurance and food safety processes to form a comprehensive food safety and quality program (SQF). These processes include HACCP, regulatory audits, standard operating procedures (SOP’s), incoming ingredient inspections, product scoring, food safety audits, field complaints, and standardized work instructions.
• Develop and execute SQF plans to achieve/maintain SQF Level 2 Food Safety Certification at the facility (s) and to meet all company requirements related to quality and food safety programs.
• Oversee plant(s) compliance and interaction with SQF Certification Body.
• Maintain systems to assure compliance to all SQF 2000 System requirements. This includes Commitment, Document Control and Records, Specifications, Attaining Food Safety, Verification, Product Identification trace and recall, incident management, food safety fundamentals and their prerequisite programs, and building and equipment design and construction.
• Bring up any customer complaints and discuss it with the employees.
• Ready to Eat, Not Ready to Eat, FDA and USDA experience.
• Ability to work with customer food safety teams
• Manage finished product evaluation system and provide leadership to drive improvements in key customer/consumer quality attributes.
• Train and maintain all records for critical food and quality safety requirements.
• Oversee monitoring, verification, and validation activities to ensure that all products leaving the facilities meets the companies Food Safety and Quality standards.
• Provide guidance and leadership in situations where deviations have occurred or a potential risk has been identified related to food safety and/or quality attributes.
• Reassess SQF plan(s) whenever there is a change to program, process, procedure, ingredient, equipment, industry philosophy, technology, etc.
• Act as a company representative for external compliance groups.
• Work closely with Operations to drive Quality ownership on the floor.
• Ensure non-daily cleanings are carried out and that master sanitation logs are updated monthly.
• Monitor finished product weights and enter and analyze data as well as perform a trend analysis.

Education

BS degree in Food Science or relevant discipline or equivalent related experience

Job description

Company Description

Country Fresh, Inc. is dedicated to providing fresh, healthy, and delicious food that customers can enjoy every day. The company’s brands focus on refrigerated and frozen foods, delivered to customers across the United States. Country Fresh serves leading organizations in retail, food service, and industrial channels, offering convenient products that fit modern lifestyles. Team members contribute to producing high-quality fresh products that help people live healthier. The company values quality, reliability, and a strong commitment to food safety and customer satisfaction.

Role Description

The Quality Assurance Manager is passionate about producing good, safe, and quality products by managing the Quality Systems and Food Safety Programs for the facility and monitoring and observing the compliance to applicable regulations, customer requirements, and HACCP programs. They employ business skill to be successful in working with a wide variety of contacts. The QA Manager reports directly to the Plant Manager and works closely with the Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. This role has a desire to achieve results in a manner that is friendly while maintaining the quality and standards set forth by the company. The quality assurance manager uses prior professional QA experience in the food industry along with HACCP certification to serve as a significant general QA expert and technical resource to the Production, Management, and Sanitation teams.

Position Responsibilities:

1. Promote the food safety and quality achievement and performance improvement throughout the organization.
2. Set QA compliance objectives and see that targets are met. Perform raw material checks, micro tests, routine process checks, and product checks as required.
3. Maintain awareness of the business context and company profitability, including budgetary and control issues.
4. Align product specifications of the company and its suppliers to the customer requirements.
5. Ensure compliance with national and international standards and legislation. (FDA)
6. Consider the application of environmental, health, and safety standards.
7. Uphold standards and establish clearly defined quality methods for staff to apply.
8. Define quality procedures working together with the operating staff.
9. Set up and maintain controls and documentation procedures. Review and verify all QA paperwork in an organized manner.
10. Identify relevant quality-related training needs.
11. Gather and analyze performance data against defined parameters.
12. Ensure tests and procedures are properly understood, carried out, and evaluated for success. Monitor shipping and receiving procedures.
13. Supervise technical staff by carrying out tests and checks.
14. Write technical and management systems reports.
15. Bring together staff of difference disciplines and driving the group to plan, formulate, and implement comprehensive quality procedures.
16. Persuade reluctant staff to change and incorporate quality methods while working.
17. Communicate with customers’ auditors and ensure the execution of corrective action and compliance with customer’s specifications.
18. Establish standards of service for customers or clients.
19. Lead integration of the current quality assurance and food safety processes to form a comprehensive food safety and quality program (SQF). These processes include HACCP, regulatory audits, standard operating procedures (SOP’s), incoming ingredient inspections, product scoring, food safety audits, field complaints, and standardized work instructions.
20. Develop and execute SQF plans to achieve/maintain SQF Level 2 Food Safety Certification at the facility (s) and to meet all company requirements related to quality and food safety programs.
21. Oversee plant(s) compliance and interaction with SQF Certification Body.
22. Maintain systems to assure compliance to all SQF 2000 System requirements. This includes Commitment, Document Control and Records, Specifications, Attaining Food Safety, Verification, Product Identification trace and recall, incident management, food safety fundamentals and their prerequisite programs, and building and equipment design and construction.
23. Bring up any customer complaints and discuss it with the employees.
24. Ready to Eat, Not Ready to Eat, FDA and USDA experience.
25. Ability to work with customer food safety teams
26. Manage finished product evaluation system and provide leadership to drive improvements in key customer/consumer quality attributes.
27. Train and maintain all records for critical food and quality safety requirements.
28. Oversee monitoring, verification, and validation activities to ensure that all products leaving the facilities meets the companies Food Safety and Quality standards.
29. Provide guidance and leadership in situations where deviations have occurred or a potential risk has been identified related to food safety and/or quality attributes.
30. Reassess SQF plan(s) whenever there is a change to program, process, procedure, ingredient, equipment, industry philosophy, technology, etc.
31. Act as a company representative for external compliance groups.
32. Work closely with Operations to drive Quality ownership on the floor.
33. Ensure non-daily cleanings are carried out and that master sanitation logs are updated monthly.
34. Monitor finished product weights and enter and analyze data as well as perform a trend analysis.

Position Requirements:

1. BS degree in Food Science or relevant discipline or equivalent related experience,
2. 5+ years of food industry experience in FDA/USDA regulated environment.
3. Comprehensive experience developing HACCP programs, SQF, GFSI, and GMO systems and food safety strategy. (HACCP Certified).
4. Prefer background in RTE or high-risk foods
5. Ability to work independently as a self-starter.
6. Strong verbal and written communication skills
7. Past Supervision and management experience.
8. Analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
9. Detail Oriented.
10. Ability to communicate effectively to management, customers and cross functional areas.