Quality Assurance Manager - Coyote Technical & Executive Sourcing

Responsible for managing all resources related to quality. This includes developing, implementing and maintaining programs to improve product quality, food safety or technology with the partnership of the Operation’s team. In addition, this role is responsible for monitoring and/or developing programs to ensure products are produced in compliance with product standards, Good Manufacturing Practices and in accordance with government regulations.

This position works to uphold company policies, ensure compliance to formulas, specifications and regulatory requirements. Additionally this role is responsible for building effective relationships with its internal cross-functional partners as well as with the company's contract manufacturers as necessary, to find win-win solutions.

This position, by ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures, is responsible for recommending, developing, implementing and managing safety, quality and food safety on all product lines.

Scope of Responsibilities:

• Ensure that manufactured products are produced in compliance with company specifications, policies and government regulations
• Participates in food tasting and product evaluation to ensure stringent quality controls are met and nuances in the flavor profile are detected to protect a uniform taste profile.
• Develop and maintain best practices while driving continuous improvement.
• Responsible for effective implementation and/or utilization of approved analytical methods to ensure the high quality of raw materials, semi finished products, finished products and packaging materials.
• Responsible for the development, maintenance and implementation of quality procedures in partnership with Operations and all related departments.
• Responsible for implementing corrective actions as needed to increase organizational consistency and ensure issues are rectified in a timely manner.
• Analyze, evaluate and provide recommendations on product quality through oral and written reports.
• Responsible for establishing a sustainable and proactive quality assurance function.
• Develop and maintain various quality related programs including but not limited to SPC, environmental monitoring, sanitation, allergen, HACCP, IPM, microbiological testing, weight control, product recall and self-audits.
• Update, develop and implement quality standards/specifications for raw materials, partially finished and finished products.
• Responsible for conducting periodic food safety audits of raw material, packaging, and 3rd party warehouses to ensure the company's quality standards are maintained and to establish a mutually effective and trustworthy partnership.
• Responsible for managing the pest control program to ensure a pest free environment.
• Manage regulatory and/or 3rd party food safety audits and all related programs. Ensure policies and procedures are in place to ensure safe products and successful audits. In a collaborative spirit, ensure internal and external stakeholders understand requirements and expectations.
• Manage the Microbiological testing program, interpret result and provide recommendations for improvements
• Respond/initiate investigations and resolutions to consumer complaints.
• Assist R&D department with projects as assigned.
• Complete customer quality surveys as required.
• Insure the successful implementation and maintenance of programs to achieve compliance with international, federal, state or local regulations as they apply to health, food safety, and labeling requirements
• Responsible for hiring and people development of direct and indirect reports

Leadership:

• Implements the company's quality assurance programs for the plant and third party warehouses to ensure compliance with FSMA and GFSI requirements.
• Instills a proactive team approach to the quality culture between QA associates and the operation
• Facilitate problem solving and develop a culture of continual improvement
• Provide back up support to the Director of Quality as needed

Technical

• Conducts food safety audits for warehouses, suppliers and company locations at nominated frequencies based on risk assessment. Issue reports, facilitate corrective actions and verify corrections.
• Work directly with the company's cross functional team members to ensure qualification of new equipment, processes and new products
• Manage regular case cutting product review, retention samples and quality assurance monitoring program.
• Analyze, evaluate, and provide recommendations, through oral and written reports, on product quality.
• Investigate consumer complaints. Implement corrective actions and resolve complaints.
• Develop, implement and maintain quality assurance programs to ensure food safety, quality, and integrity for GCC products at contract manufacturers.
• Apply scientific methodology, use of root cause and statistical analysis tools to support recommendations for process improvements and drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and manage a quality scorecard to monitor performance against established metrics.

Tactical

• Assist with customer QA surveys.
• Issue monthly quality reports
• Correspond with suppliers as required.
• Create procedures to document best practice and ensure document control is maintained

Specific Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple projects/workload
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Firm understanding of GMP’s, HACCP, SSOP’s, IPM, Handbook 133, FSSC 22000, FSMA and SPC
• Strong analytical, organization and process development skills
• Good understanding of microbiological testing and interpretation of results
• Excellent computer skills with working knowledge of the Microsoft Office software packages
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to consistently discern flavor differences in products
• Ability to work with individuals at all levels of management and build effective cross-functional (internal and external) relationships

Education and Work Experience:

• BS degree in Food Science or Biological Science field
• Minimum 5 years Quality Assurance experience in the food industry at management level experience

Working Conditions:

• Rare to Occasional ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds

No sponsorship visa (H1-B, etc) candidates at this time, sorry.