Quality Plant Manager

Conagra Brands; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 109,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Bonus opportunity

401(k) matching

Tuition reimbursement

Stock purchase plan

Job summary

Conagra Brands is seeking a Food Safety and Quality Leader to drive programs ensuring safe, high-quality products across the facility in Fayetteville, AR. The role partners with Operations, Maintenance, Sales, R&D, and Regulatory teams to embed a strong culture of ownership and continuous improvement.

You will lead regulatory compliance efforts with USDA/FDA, HACCP and SQF, manage a team, develop training, monitor metrics, investigate issues, and guide CAPA implementations to support new product

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biology, or related field.
• Experience leading food safety and quality programs in a food manufacturing environment.
• 4+ years of Quality Assurance leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• Knowledge of HACCP, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience with regulatory agencies.
• Strong coaching and development skills.
• Strong communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with root cause analysis and CAPA.
• Knowledge of process controls and auditing.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant food safety and quality programs to ensure compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements.
• Promote and maintain a strong food safety culture across all plant functions.
• Ensure all plant personnel follow GMP, sanitation, personal hygiene standards, and food safety procedures.
• Develop, deliver, and maintain employee training programs focused on food safety, quality systems, and annual compliance requirements.
• Partner with Operations and Maintenance teams to drive ownership of food safety and quality performance throughout the facility.
• Manage direct reports and support their development through coaching, training, and performance management.
• Establish and monitor key food safety and quality metrics, including quality incident reduction, complaint reduction, quality index performance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Investigate food safety and quality issues, evaluate trends, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Serve as the primary plant contact for regulatory agencies, including USDA and FDA.
• Lead compliance efforts related to HACCP, SQF, environmental monitoring, recall readiness, pest management, and finished product specifications.
• Oversee customer complaint investigations and ensure timely resolution of food safety and quality concerns.
• Partner with Sales, R&D, Operations, and Regulatory teams to address technical, quality, and customer issues.
• Support supplier quality activities by helping resolve vendor-related food safety and quality concerns.
• Lead quality planning and support successful commercialization of new products using established company processes and validation tools.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives and serve as the Food Safety & Quality pillar owner within the Conagra Performance System.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety

Quality systems

Regulatory compliance

Coaching

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biology, or related field

Job description

Reporting to the Director of Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Affairs, you will lead the plant’s food safety and quality programs to ensure the production of safe, high-quality products that meet regulatory, customer, and company standards. You will provide leadership across food safety, quality systems, compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives while partnering with Operations, Maintenance, Sales, Research & Development, and Regulatory teams. As a member of the plant leadership team, you will drive a culture of food safety and quality ownership throughout the facility.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead plant food safety and quality programs to ensure compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements.
• Promote and maintain a strong food safety culture across all plant functions.
• Ensure all plant personnel follow Good Manufacturing Practices, sanitation requirements, personal hygiene standards, and food safety procedures.
• Develop, deliver, and maintain employee training programs focused on food safety, quality systems, and annual compliance requirements.
• Partner with Operations and Maintenance teams to drive ownership of food safety and quality performance throughout the facility.
• Manage direct reports and support their development through coaching, training, and performance management.
• Establish and monitor key food safety and quality metrics, including quality incident reduction, complaint reduction, quality index performance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Investigate food safety and quality issues, evaluate trends, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Serve as the primary plant contact for regulatory agencies, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.
• Lead compliance efforts related to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point programs, Safe Quality Food certification, environmental monitoring, recall readiness, pest management, and finished product specifications.
• Oversee customer complaint investigations and ensure timely resolution of food safety and quality concerns.
• Partner with Sales, Research & Development, Operations, and Regulatory teams to address technical, quality, and customer issues.
• Support supplier quality activities by helping resolve vendor-related food safety and quality concerns.
• Lead quality planning and support successful commercialization of new products using established company processes and validation tools.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives and serve as the Food Safety & Quality pillar owner within the Conagra Performance System.

Ingredients Required for Your Success

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Experience leading food safety and quality programs in a food manufacturing environment.
• 4 or more years of Quality Assurance leadership experience in food manufacturing or related industry.
• Knowledge of USDA regulatory standards and experience leading quality and food safety programs in a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point programs, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience working with regulatory agencies and food industry standards.
• Leadership experience with coaching and developing team members.
• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of food manufacturing operations, auditing, sanitation practices, and process controls.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and collaborating across functions.

Physical Requirements

More information about essential tasks and the facility will be shared during the hiring process. This role may require you to be in our manufacturing facilities.

You may be required to walk around the facility, climb stairs/ladders, kneel, or perform repetitive tasks that require hand-eye coordination. You may be required to lift or carry materials that can vary in weight and size. This is a manufacturing environment with large, moving equipment. Noise levels can be high, and temperatures may vary.

#LI-Onsite #LI-MSL #LI-PM2

Compensation

Pay Range: $109,000-$159,000

The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee’s actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees’ equity. Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees.

Our Benefits

• Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement
• Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan
• Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement
• Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities

Our Company

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions - within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye®, Slim Jim® and Reddi-Wip®. Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions - within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye ®, Slim Jim® and Reddi-Wip®.

Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.