Job Information
Dairy Farmers of America Quality Assurance Manager in Cass City, Michigan
General Purpose:\ The Quality Assurance Manager directs and leads a team of individuals to ensure effective quality execution, continuous improvement and regulatory compliance. They will provide leadership within the facility to drive positive change through influence and example. This individual, in conjunction with plant operations, will build and maintain an effective culture of Food Safety and quality within the facility. The QA Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining facility systems and processes that ensure finished product is food safe and meets finished product specifications. This person should be a highly organized effective communicator with an inquisitive mind with the capacity to investigate and lead solution-based decision making in the plant.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:\ Ensure compliance to internal FSQ programs and applicable regulations\ Ensure daily plant Quality and Food Safety operations are in compliant with DFA policies, procedures and local, state & federal regulations.\ Maintain audit readiness\ Responsible for maintaining a robust food safety program and subsequent quality program.\ Escalate non-conformance events to the Quality director and plant manager.\ Oversee plant sanitation to drive a robust sanitation program.\ Ensure the plant pest control programs are current, followed, and utilized to enable proactive maintenance.\ Manage the facility\'s change control program to enable robust risk assessment and decisions.\ Ensure compliance to specification, manufacturing instructions and preventive maintenance programs.\ Collaboratively lead investigations relating to non-conforming events driving to root cause(s) and effective resolution. Maintain the CAPA program.\ Manage hold and release programs\ Review records on a daily basis to ensure all records are completed as required and review/approval is current for preventive controls, laboratory, sanitation, production and verification checks.\ Partner with operations to ensure preventive maintenance program is robust and adhered to.
Provide Leadership\ Partner with Operations to build a world class food safety & quality culture.\ Foster a positive and effective work culture with direct reports\ Identify and retain highly effective personnel through proper selection, training, and expectations.\ Track and report on plant quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).\ Participate in the annual plant budgeting process.\ Partner with the plant manager on identifying key capital projects that support food safety and quality initiatives.\ Provide training to the plant personnel concerning food safety, FSMA and regulatory compliance.\ Provide quality leadership during unplanned events or emergencies\ Provide visible leadership by participating in Gemba walks and internal audits.\ Engage and interact with all personnel on a regular basis assisting them with their challenges and questions concerning food safety.\ Develop and grow your talent.
Customer Centric\ Collaborate with R&D during new/reformulated product introduction to ensure compliance with already established specifications and regulatory requirements\ Serve as the point of contact for customer related issues, complaints or inquires.\ Manage plant complaint investigations ensuring a thorough, effective, timely & customer facing response.\ Monitor compliance to customer expectation and specifications, communicate any issues/concerns.\ Maintain plant preparedness for customer and regulatory visits
\ Quality Control\ Overall responsibility for all analytical and micro activities performed at the facility.\ Oversee the development of laboratory practices to ensure accurate and precise QC Results.\ Perform data analysis to identify critical trends or find leading indicators to enable proactive decisions.\ Coordinates t