Senior Quality Manager

Maker's Pride; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Maker's Pride is seeking a seasoned Quality Assurance and Food Safety leader to own all QA and regulatory programs. You will coach onsite teams, drive continuous improvement through lean tools, and ensure compliance with FDA/USDA/GMP standards. Manage RCA/CAPA investigations and lead the site-wide audit program.

The role requires PCQI and HACCP certifications, a Bachelor's in science, and 8–10 years in the food industry with strong communication skills and leadership ability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science or related field; PCQI and HACCP certifications are required or strongly preferred.
• Minimum 8–10 years of related food quality/sanitation leadership experience in a food manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead QA and Food Safety programs (HACCP, Food Safety Plans, Food Quality Plans, IA, and Food Defense).
• Manage internal audit program to keep the site audit-ready at all times.
• Drive Lean/quality metrics, RCA/CAPA investigations, and root-cause analysis.
• Coach and mentor QA/FS teams to build bench strength and succession plans.
• Collaborate with plant leadership to improve quality culture and reduce consumer complaints.

Skills

Internal auditing

Team leadership

Root cause analysis

Lean tools

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or related field

PCQI Certification

HACCP Certification

Tools

MS Office

SAP

Job description

Job Summary

Responsible for leading, maintaining, and executing all aspects of Quality Assurance and Food Safety for the plant. Coach, teach, mentor, and manage the Quality and Food Safety teams onsite. Utilize lean tools and root cause analysis to continuously improve the existing quality system. Ensure all requirements from customers, regulatory, and 3rd party certifications are met and in compliance.

Job Duties

• Manage all Quality and Food Safety programs including HACCP, Food Safety Plans, Food Quality Plans, IA Vulnerability, and Food Defense
• Execute a robust internal audit program to ensure site it always audit ready all the time
• Participate in Hearthside Production System requirements such as Drumbeat, Weekly KPI, Lean Steering Committee, and Tiered Auditing
• Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Corrective Actions/Preventative Action (CAPA) investigations
• Coach, teach, and mentor the QA and Food Safety teams to build bench strength and career paths for employees
• Collaborate with all plant leadership to drive quality culture improvements and consumer complaint reductions
• Coordinate multidisciplinary activities among various team members assuring timely, efficient and cost-effective finality
• Administrate all product specifications and associated floor instructions assuring compliance with regulatory label requirements.
• Ensure food standard compliance with FDA, USDA, OSHA, GMP, and company policy.
• Assess Environmental Monitoring Programs to ensure continued seek and destroy approach to pathogens
• Oversee the Hold and Release program, ensuring proper hold verifications and disposition processes
• Lead Trace and Mock Recall exercises
• Measure and monitor various company KPIs and drive for improvements in key performance areas
• Lead customer QA discussions related to quality or food safety incidents in the plan
• Advise commercialization and production teams on process specifications, process capabilities, and customer requirements to include recipe and sensory
• Support commercialization teams in integrating customer and compliance requirements into internal specifications and critical quality parameters
• SQF Practitioner and PCQI duties
• Trend and analyze data as need to drive improvements in the plant (EMP, Pest Control, Consumer Complaints, etc.)
• Support and oversee all aspects of sanitation, including allergen matrix and control programs, chemical control programs, pest control programs, cleaning validations including all sanitation systems as assigned.
• May perform other functions as needed.

Required Competencies & Knowledge:

Knowledge of:

• Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments
• Preventative control validations
• SMART goal setting and team coaching
• Basic RCA and CAPA tools
• 7 Steps of Sanitation

Skilled in:

• Personnel development
• Team building
• Internal auditing
• Procedure and Standard Work generation
• Risk Assessments
• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced quality statistics, measurement systems analysis and continuous improvement required.

Strong understanding of SQF and its implementation is required. SQF Practitioner certification is a plus.

PCQI/ Food Safety Plans / HACCP Plan development and maintenance

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Manage multiple projects at a time
• Direct various program activities within the plant
• Influence Quality Culture behaviors
• Recognize food safety & quality gaps and provide a plan to address
• Work collaboratively with all departments
• Ensure collaborative relationships with industry, trade, other associations, regulatory agencies and Hearthside staff.

Proficiency in: MS Office Suite, SAP a Plus

Work Environment:

Frequent production environment exposure which includes noise, dust, heat, cold, moving machinery, fork lifts, and slippery floors

50% of work in an office setting

Handle daily employee issues.

Travel up to +25%

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to use hands and fingers.
• Employee frequently required to sit
• Employee daily required to walk, climb and/or balance.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs.
• Walk up to 400 yards to work and break areas.
• Stand, walk and climb stairs on an infrequent basis.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in business/science-related field is required; post-graduate degree a plus. Eight - Ten years of related work experience, including experience managing and leading a Quality and food safety / sanitation staff in a related food manufacturing environment (i.e. baked bar, granola manufacture, bread, cold form bar, cookies, crackers, sandwich assembly, kit assembly, etc.). PCQI Certification and/or HACCP Certification Must be detailed-oriented, have strong self-confidence and leadership skills and have excellent oral and written communication skills.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they are legally authorized to work in the location to which they apply.

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