Quality Assurance Manager - Hebron, KY

Skills: Food Safety, Procedure (Manufacturing)

Seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager! The Quality Assurance Manager will direct cross-functional teams (QA, Product Development, Warehouse, etc.) through Annual BRC audits along with implementing training on New Supplier Processes and Documentation. Oversee processes for tracking reports and customer complaints. The focus of this position is on prevention of quality issues within major components to ensure product safety and food regulations. This position is responsible for establishing, implementing, and auditing the quality processes used by multiple departments, including but not limited to Warehouse, Shipping/Receiving, Production, and Purchasing. Proactive and urgent attention to testing and quality issues that affect production is required. Additionally, this position will review products in development for quality and safety issues.

Scope of Responsibilities

• Develops general quality attributes by material (ceramics, boxes, plush, acrylics, etc.) using input from Purchasing and product development staff.
• New Vendor set up per new vendor procedure. Ensure compliance with agreements and policies and maintain key documents.
• Preliminary audit of vendor's facilities as needed to assure compliance with licensor and customer requirements.
• Data for correction or errors- collect seasonal data on customer complaints to be provided to the Marketing and Merchandising departments to use in corrective action plans for future products.
• Food and Toy Safety Standards- Need to keep up to date on as they change and become stricter.
• Will require travel to Asia to Visit vendors to inspect facilities and understand their process variables.
• Train China staff on inspection criteria and processes.
• Work with China staff to qualify and evaluate vendor performance and inspect facilities.

Quality Processes:

• Establish and maintain processes for measuring quality before shipment from Asia including Inspection selection criteria by product, shipment, vendor, and/or by using input from Product Development and Sales line reviews.
• Record keeping.
• Assist with Corrective action plans on a shipment, material, and vendor basis. Supplying the needed defect analysis to put together the corrective actions.
• Establish processes for Mexico and US regarding incoming product inspections.
• Ensuring compliance with the BRC (British Retail Consortium) and Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards. Perform monthly audits of internal processes and procedures.
• Schedule and coordinate annual 3rd party food safety audits.
• Audit quality processes to ensure compliance and effectiveness. Audit processes and submit a summary report(s) to management.
• Make recommendations for improvements or corrective actions as needed.
• Follow up to ensure improvements and corrective action are completed.
• Work with China staff to implement Quality processes.
• Lead HACCP / Food Safety Team.

Vendor Management:

• Establish quality requirements for new vendor selection.
• Travel to Asia if/as needed to qualify new vendors, monitor the performance of existing vendors, and monitor/inspect production.
• Review of new vendors to meet, licensor, and customer candy packing requirements.
• Annual audits of existing vendors for candy packing requirements.
• Follow through on data provided for corrective action plans and record keeping.
• Establishment of requirements for new overseas food suppliers and annual audits of active international food vendors.
• Audit processes and submit a summary report(s) to management.

Experience Base

• Confectionary experience regarding regulations for domestic and international import of Chocolates and other sweets for retail gifting and packaging.
• Effective written and oral communication skills, ability to communicate across all levels of the organization clearly and effectively.
• Knowledge of statistical process control techniques and their application to process control and continuous improvements.
• Ability to perform routine in-process production testing and testing of raw materials and packaging. Able to prepare samples for testing.
• Sound decision-making, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of good manufacturing practices and basic food safety principles
• Excellent time management skills.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.