Quality Manager
: Job Details :

TITLE: Quality Manager

REPORTS TO: Plant Director

LOCATION: Walton, NY

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is currently seeking candidates to join our team in Walton, NY.

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 Quality Manager is responsible for the overall food safety, food quality, and regulatory compliance of the products produced at the Lactalis Heritage Dairy (LHD).

This position oversees the plant's food safety & quality programs: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Good Sanitation Practices (GSPs), quality of conformity, and quality of services. The 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:

Food Safety & Food Quality

• Leads development and continuous improvement of the plant quality programs and processes.
• Assesses food safety and quality risks & recommends mitigation strategies in collaboration with production, sanitation, and maintenance.
• Implements and manages execution of the Groupe Lactalis Quality Policy
• Maintains, and improves the quality management systems (HACCP, FSSC22000)
• 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.
• Reviews in-process testing requirements for production of consistent products.
• Oversees pest control program and serves as liaison with vendor; managed through site sanitation team.
• Oversees the sanitation program and ensures sanitation activities are performed on schedule.
• Oversees environmental control program and ensures sampling is performed on schedule.
• Oversees the plant sensory program and ensures tasting sessions are performed on schedule.
• Review and maintain all product specifications in collaboration with Production Manager.
• Oversees site vendor performance meets quality expectations with non-conformance reports and corrective actions as appropriate.
• Participates in the preparation of operation shut down weeks, engineering projects, sanitation and start up practices prior to resuming production.
• Works with corporate cross functional team members to drive continuous improvement at site and with vendors and services associated with Quality and Sanitation. Including but not limited to Procurement, R&D, and Corporate Quality.
• Reviews consumer and customer complaints and works cross-functionally to decrease complaints.

Regulatory:

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.

Timely and effective regulatory response.

Appropriate documentation and development of local policies to support compliance to policies and procedures.

Internal & External Audits

Prepares and leads FSSC22000 certification audits, customer, and other third-party audits.

Ensure the facility is always audit ready.

Completes necessary CAPAs and reports post audit.

Develops and trains a team of internal auditors.

Laboratory

Oversees the plant laboratory.

Maintains a close working relationship with the Corporate Lab Relay.

Regular meetings with the lab manager to ensure all micro and analytical tests are being carried out in a timely manner.

Keeps a close working relationship with the external laboratory.

Organizational & Cross-Functional Support

Maintains a close partnership with the cross-function teams at the plant: Materials, Operation, HR, Maintenance, Health and Safety, Engineering and Controller.

Maintains a connection with Groupe Quality Department & Corporate Quality to maintain and gain technical knowledge.

Facilitates exchange of data between departments and quality employees to ensure quality compliance is met

Collaborates with Corporate Quality in development of plant KPIs and scorecard

Team Management

Motivates and inspires the team

Develops the quality and sanitation team's skills and expertise

Sets realistic goals, provides regular feedback, and completes mid-year and year-end appraisals

Prepares and distribute Food Safety objectives

Delegates, communicates, transfers a culture of adaptability & accountability

Other

Shares and promotes best practices throughout the organization.

Travel and/or extended/off-work hours.

This description reflects management's assignment of essential functions, it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Behaves in a professional manner that always represents the Company in the highest ethical standards.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor's degree in microbiology, food science, dairy science, or life sciences preferred.
• 7-9 years related experience.Experience in food manufacturing is required, cheese is preferred.
• 5 years' experience leading direct-reporting team members.
• Strong cheese chemistry knowledge.
• Solid knowledge of GFSI, HACCP, US food regulations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel.
• Strong communication skills
• Demonstrated analytic, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Collaborative & pragmatic mindset.