Quality Assurance Supervisor

SUMMARY

Manages the inspection of incoming raw materials, reviews all manufacturing processes and finished products to assure compliance with American Beverage Corporation’s (ABC) food safety and quality standards and other regulatory governances. Directs the lab, production food safety and quality operations by scheduling and assigning workloads, and maintains a close rapport with production to identify, solve and prevent problems affecting quality.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Perform Quality activities as detailed in “Job Objectives” documented in the Quality Manual.
• Perform pre-shipment review and release of finished product.
• Conduct and assist in internal food safety and quality audits in line with the SQF program.
• Coordinate with production in the monitoring of all processes and procedures to ensure effectiveness and continuous improvement within the mixing, filling and packaging lines, the control of weights, code dates and product/packaging integrity.
• Troubleshoot for product batch making tests, sensory tests, sampling needs, analytical tests, and product specification measurements.
• Investigate consumer complaints, determines root cause, develops corrective actions and monitors for effectiveness.
• Manage relationships with internal/external customers, suppliers, colleagues, and support services to ensure achievement of targets.
• Update ABC’s QMS, Calibration Schedule, and SOP’s (Lab and QA) as needed.
• Ensure training of associates at all levels on quality programs.
• Manage effective records and files, summarize data, and prepare and interpret reports for use by management.
• Acts as communication liaison between management and staff to support corporate and plant-driven initiatives.
• Ensures that a high quality of products, services, housekeeping, and hygiene standards are maintained and improved in designated areas.
• Ensures compliance with Safe Quality Foods.
• Capable of performing Trace/Recall on all materials for potential recall at any time.
• Responsible for the management of the recall procedure, allergens, and HACCP in the plant.
• Ensure that the preoperative sanitation inspections are conducted and proper follow-up occurs when unsanitary conditions exist.
• Oversee the completion and compliance of the environmental monitoring program and manages root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Oversee the Kosher program.
• Provide training and cross-training to the Quality department staff to assure departmental objectives are met within budget, product specifications, quality requirements and safety standards.
• Supervise testing procedures to insure that analyses methods are accurately followed. Provide direction and technical assistance to the QA Technicians as needed.
• Lead the sensory program (finished product and raw ingredient evaluation).
• Monitor and order lab supplies.
• Recommend new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in efficiency of department & services performed. Evaluate and recommend revisions to internal processes and policies to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
• Must be willing to work a varied schedule to ensure interaction with day and night shift associates. Flexibility in days of work week required.
• Aid and assist in areas of new product development assuring new specifications meet quality assurance levels outlined by Marketing
• Assist in the development and maintenance of raw materials, packaging and finished product specifications.
• Provides back-up to the Director of Quality as necessary
• Addresses unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and hazards in their respective work area(s), and evaluates the ensuing correction(s).
• Follows all safety & GMP rules and regulations.
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Other key skills related to this position:
  • Leadership Skills (including courage, conviction, and integrity)
  • Communication Skills
  • Interpersonal/Team Working Skills
  • Job Knowledge
  • Business Knowledge
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Problem Solving Skills
  • Training Skills
  • Initiative
  • Work Standards

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has responsibility for supervising QA Technicians per location of responsibility. Ability to work any shift and/or to assist department manager as required.

WORK SAFETY Ensures that all tasks and functions of position are performed in a safe manner at all times and that all procedures and requirements are properly followed to accomplish assigned tasks.

FOOD SAFETY/QUALITY Shall be responsible for food safety and quality as well as reporting food safety and quality problems to personnel with authority to initiate action.

BACKUP COVERAGE In the absence of the Quality Supervisor, the Quality Director shall be responsible to make provision to cover the absence with a qualified associate.

FOOD SAFETY CULTURE Promote a culture of shared values, beliefs and norms that affect mind-set and behavior toward food safety in, across and throughout an organization.

QUALIFICATIONS To be considered qualified for this job, an individual shall have the required skills listed below and must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty listed in the Quality Supervisor Job Objectives. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Must have general knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), SSOPs, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Systems (HACCP), SQF or BRC, Regulatory Guidelines, Sensory, and/or Microbiology. Previous supervisory experience in a Manufacturing environment is preferred. Quality Assurance experience preferred. Education in HACCP (Food Safety) and Food Quality required.

Must have at least one (1) of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in a Science
• Bachelor’s degree with at least two (2) years of experience in food related work
• Associates degree with at least four (4) years progressive experience in food related work
• High School Diploma/GED and at least five (5) years progressive experience in food related work

LANGUAGE SKILLS Strong oral, listening, written and electronic communication skills in order to communicate with all levels of the organization. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write SOPs, SSOPs, reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as proportions, percentages, averages, density, area, circumference, and volume with accuracy. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

REASONING SKILLS Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

COMPUTER SKILLS Basic computer skills and working knowledge of Windows based software (Excel, Word, Outlook), and Apple based software RedZone helpful.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid driver's license

HACCP Certification or must be able to become HACCP certified.

SQF Practitioner Certification or must be able to become SQF certified.

Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) Certification or must be able to become PCQI qualified.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Occasional travel may be required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit and use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, knee, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close visions and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Employee subject to company rules, regulations and GMPs.