QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER

Kent Consumer Brands Americas, LLC; Columbus (MS); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent Consumer Brands Americas, LLC is seeking a Quality Assurance/Quality Control leader to oversee daily QC laboratory and production quality activities, ensure products meet specs, and manage nonconformances. You will lead investigations, CAPAs, and audits while driving continuous improvement across the site.

Reporting to Quality leadership, you will coordinate with Operations, Maintenance, and Sanitation to strengthen GMP compliance and food safety programs, and you will contribute to the

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years QA/QC experience in manufacturing, preferably food/beverage.
• Minimum 2 years supervisory/leadership experience preferred.
• Experience with laboratory testing, sampling, inspection, and process controls.
• Experience with GMPs, Preventive Controls, sanitation, traceability, CAPA, and root-cause analysis.
• Experience supporting regulatory/audits (FDA), certifications, customers.
• Strong analytical and communication skills across Operations, Quality, R&D, Regulatory.

Responsibilities

• Lead site QC and production quality activities, ensuring timely inspection, testing, documentation, and reporting.
• Review batch records and ensure products meet specifications prior to release.
• Oversee disposition of nonconforming materials and products with proper escalation.
• Lead investigations of nonconformances and quality incidents with root-cause analysis.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are assigned, completed, and effective.
• Monitor quality metrics and prepare routine quality performance reports for leadership.
• Serve as site lead for audits, regulatory inspections, and certifications.
• Support continuous improvement and quality management systems (GFSI, ERP, D365/SafetyChain).

Skills

Quality leadership

GFSI knowledge

Regulatory audits

Statistical analysis

Problem solving

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's in Food Science/related

Tools

D365/Advanced Quality

SafetyChain

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Provides day-to-day leadership and direction to site QC personnel, including work assignments, scheduling, training, performance management, and development.
• Ensures QC personnel are properly trained and qualified to perform assigned testing, inspection, sampling, documentation, and product disposition activities.
• Coordinates QC activities with Operations, Maintenance, Warehouse, Sanitation, and other functions to ensure product quality, food safety, and process requirements are consistently met.
• Oversees review of production and QC records and product release activities to ensure compliance with approved specifications, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Leads QC investigations involving product, process, testing, or documentation nonconformances and ensures appropriate root-cause analysis and corrective actions are completed.
• Promotes a culture of Quality and Food Safety through effective coaching, communication, accountability, and continuous improvement.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manages daily QC laboratory and production quality activities, ensuring timely and accurate inspection, testing, documentation, and reporting.
• Reviews and approves batch records and other required quality documentation and ensures products meet established specifications prior to release.
• Manages the identification, segregation, evaluation, and disposition of nonconforming materials and products, including appropriate escalation of significant quality or food safety concerns.
• Leads or supports investigations of internal nonconformances, process deviations, customer complaints, and quality incidents using appropriate root-cause analysis methodologies.
• Ensures corrective and preventive actions are appropriately assigned, completed, documented, and evaluated for effectiveness.
• Monitors and trends key Quality and Food Safety performance indicators, including nonconformances, customer complaints, internal defects, testing results, holds, and other applicable site metrics.
• Prepares and communicates routine Quality performance reports to site and Quality leadership, identifying significant trends, risks, and recommended actions.
• Serves as a site Quality lead for internal and external audits, regulatory inspections, customer audits, certification audits, traceability exercises, and mock recalls.
• Supports implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the site's Food Safety and Quality Management Systems.
• Partners with Operations, Maintenance, and Sanitation to evaluate and improve process controls, sanitation effectiveness, GMP compliance, and preventive controls.
• Develops, reviews, and maintains QC testing, sampling, inspection, and monitoring procedures to ensure accurate and consistent execution.
• Ensures laboratory equipment and testing methods are properly maintained, calibrated or verified, as applicable, and suitable for their intended use.
• Establishes and maintains effective production-line quality checks and audit protocols to verify adherence to established process and product requirements.
• Conducts and/or coordinates GMP, process, and Quality System audits and ensures identified deficiencies are appropriately addressed.
• Investigates customer complaints and communicates findings, root cause, corrective actions, and trends to Quality leadership.
• Supports management of controlled Quality and Food Safety documentation in accordance with established document-control requirements.
• Ensures accurate and timely entry, review, and maintenance of Quality information within applicable electronic Quality Management and ERP systems.
• Supports implementation and effective utilization of electronic Quality systems, including D365/Advanced Quality, and SafetyChain, as applicable.
• Participates in risk assessments associated with changes to products, processes, equipment, raw materials, packaging, suppliers, specifications, or manufacturing procedures.
• Provides Quality input to continuous improvement, cost reduction, process optimization, and new product or process commercialization activities.
• Provides input into the QC department budget and identifies opportunities to improve Quality performance while effectively managing laboratory and inspection costs.
• Escalates significant Quality, Food Safety, Regulatory, or customer risks to site leadership and Quality leadership in a timely manner.
• Performs other Quality-related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Engineering, or a related scientific/technical discipline; equivalent relevant Quality experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of Quality Assurance or Quality Control experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably food or beverage manufacturing.
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory or leadership experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with laboratory testing, sampling, inspection, and manufacturing process controls.
• Experience working within a GFSI-recognized Food Safety Management System.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, Preventive Controls, sanitation, traceability, nonconforming product controls, CAPA, and root-cause analysis.
• Experience supporting or leading regulatory (FDA), certification, customer, and internal audits.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret, trend, and effectively communicate Quality data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively across Operations, Quality, R&D, & Regulatory.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, coach, and hold employees accountable.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic Quality/ERP systems

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in a scientific, technical, or Quality-related discipline.
• PCQI, BRCGS or similar Food Safety/Quality certification.
• Experience leading or supporting GFSI certification.
• Experience with ERP/eQMS systems such as Microsoft D365/Advanced Quality Management.
• Experience utilizing statistical analysis, trend reporting, and data visualization tools to drive continuous improvement.

TRAVEL EXPECTED:

• 0 – 10%, including occasional travel to other company facilities, suppliers, customers, or training events as required.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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