Senior Plant Quality Manager - Lactalis Heritage Dairy

TITLE: Senior Plant Quality Manager

REPORTS TO: Plant Director

LOCATION: Tulare, CA

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is currently seeking candidates to join our team in Tulare, CA.

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you!

Lactalis Heritage Dairy: inviting you to share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE.

From your PASSION to ours

The Senior Plant Quality Manageris responsible for the overall food safety, food quality, and regulatory compliance of the products produced at the Lactalis Heritage Dairy (LHD) plant located in Tulare, CA.

This position oversees the plant’s quality programs: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Good Sanitation Practices (GSPs), quality of conformity, and quality of services. The Senior Plant Quality Manager inspects and audits the operation in all phases of quality performance. Represents the plant during inspections and audits with customers, third parties and regulatory agencies.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Implements and manages Groupe Lactalis Quality Policy. Shares and promotes best practices throughout the organization.
• Builds, maintains, and improves the quality management systems (HACCP, FSSC22000).
• Assesses food safety/quality risks & recommends mitigation strategies in collaboration with production, sanitation, and plant R/D.
• Applies best practices of quality-in-operation by building a strong knowledge of all production processes.
• Assists plant management in developing and implementing plant quality programs and processes.
• Maintains appropriate records that support a robust food safety program (e.g. HACCP and pre-requisite programs) and other documentation to support compliance with policies and procedures.
• Conducts effective root cause analysis on food safety and quality issues, implements corrective and preventative actions.
• Implements process control limits and applies in-process corrective actions when needed.
• Ensures the performance of service providers such as pest control, uniforms, laundry, etc. are up to standard.
• Oversees environmental control program and ensures correct sampling procedures are implemented.
• Ensures plant programs (sensory, hold/release, shelf life, equipment calibration etc.) are in place and progress is tracked and recorded.
• Prepares the yearly Quality capex file.
• Reviews and maintains all product specifications in collaboration with Production Manager.
• Establishes and enforces quality standards and specifications with vendors in collaboration with Purchasing, R&D, and Corporate Quality.
• Reviews CPM and works cross-functionally to lower them.
• Primary interface with routine & non-routine regulatory agency representatives at the facility.
• Communicates with all necessary parties (employees, plant management, etc.) on regulation changes related to Quality and Food Safety. Ensures a timely and effective regulatory response.
• Ensures there is appropriate documentation and development of local policies to support compliance with policies and procedures.
• Responsible for ensuring the plant is audit ready. Develops and trains a team of internal auditors. Completes necessary CAPAs and reports post audit.
• Oversees the plant laboratory. Maintains a close working relationship with the Corporate Lab Relay. Partners with the Lab Manager to ensure all micro and analytical tests are being carried out in a timely manner. Ensures all lab calibrations are in place. Keeps a close working relationship with the external laboratory.
• Partners cross-functionally to ensure appropriate exchange of information between departments and quality employees to ensure quality compliance.
• Collaborates with Corporate Quality in development of plant KPIs and scorecard. Maintains a connection with Groupe Quality Department & Corporate Quality to maintain and gain technical knowledge.
• Manage, train, and develop direct reporting team members through mentoring, coaching and coordination of individual development plans. Provide performance feedback on an ongoing basis. Partner with HR on employee relations issues.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in microbiology, food science, dairy science, or life sciences.
• 8+ years related experience. Experience in dairy manufacturing is required, cheese is preferred.
• 5+ years experience leading direct-reporting team members.
• Proficiency with computer software, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Solid knowledge of GFSI, HACCP, US food regulations.
• Strong cheese chemistry knowledge.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel.
• Demonstrated analytic, problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong organizational skills with proven attention to detail.
• Strong team player and leader with the ability to work with all levels of an organization.
• Strong communication abilities; both written and verbal.
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions in a manner consistent with company values and quality principles and regulations.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) with the ability to influence all levels of the organization.
• Flexibility to support 24/7 operation.
• Travel and/or extended/off-work hours.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.