Supervisor, Quality Assurance

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

This position reports to the QA Manager and is responsible for supervising the quality control processes by assuring the steps are in place to achieve the highest quality products. Key duties include reviewing and auditing QC activities on the line along with paperwork that supports the activities. As well as recommends process changes to improve plant quality and then monitors and audits the process for compliance. This position is also responsible for Food Safety and Food Quality.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES (essential functions of the job)
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee the rework process for mod pallets, dump back, and sorting of finished goods. Provide direction to the rework coordinator for daily and weekly work assignments. Provides some input on temps needed to complete tasks and assist in workflow improvements in the rework area.
• Review and document daily housekeeping for the entire plant. Key tasks in this duty include a bi-weekly walk around through the facility and documenting and grading against a standard. Once the documentation is complete, the results are e-mailed to the management team for feedback and communication.
• Review all QC paperwork from the operators for the prior day's production. Look for any gaps in attributes versus processing guides and quality standards. If any gaps exist then communicate those gaps to relevant people depending on the seriousness of the gap. Sign off on review and file them.
• Investigate any quality issues throughout the plant and support the plant with any questions.
• Train operators on QC paperwork.
• Partner with Production Supervisors for quality improvements.
• Retrieve warehouse samples for customer complaints, missed operator samples, and sales orders.
• Supervise QC processes by monitoring checks and their frequencies through plant audits and paperwork audits.
• Conduct monthly Glass and Brittle Plastic audits.
• Troubleshoot and send out analytical equipment for calibration.
• Function as the Sanitation Supervisor. Manage three sanitarians by assigning daily activities, managing performance, point of contact for all day-to-day issues
• Coordinate all week-ending sanitation cleaning activities with maintenance and production management. Issues detailed work list.
• Manage sanitation department Master Cleaning Schedule. Oversee submission of all department Master Cleaning Schedules.
• Point of contact for sanitation chemical supplier rep monthly visits.
• Oversee sanitation chemical and janitorial supplies usage and inventories
• Participate as a member of the Food Safety and Housekeeping Audit Team
• Participate as a member of the SQF Internal Audit Team.
• Conduct customer complaint investigations and enter results into corporate database form
• Manage hold process by entering items into QAD system hold, creating and attaching physical hold tags, and updating hold logs
• Responsible for covering for both QA Technicians for vacations and absences
• Responsible for SQF activities in the absence of the QA Manager.
• Train new employees that are hired in the work area assigned
• Advanced knowledge of the field
• Lead by example and assist others who may need guidance
• Be accessible for employees to ask questions regarding areas of expertise
• Provide positive recognition to employees who exhibit good behavior in their work area
• Provide feedback to managers on individual and team performance
• This role will be required to taste test products as needed, up to a couple of ounces per test.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES (If applicable)

• Manage multiple employees; the Quality Assurance Team reports to this position.

• Monitor employee productivity and provide constructive feedback, coaching, counseling, and disciplining; conducting training; implementing enforcing systems, policies, and procedures.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications.

• Communicates job expectations; planning, monitoring, and assessing job results; coaching, and counseling employees; developing, coordinating, and enforcing systems, procedures, and productivity standards.
• Establishes strategic goals; identifying and evaluating trends; choosing a course of action; defining objectives; evaluating outcomes.

• Lead and support a food safety and food quality culture within the location
• Establish, document, and communicate to all relevant staff of food safety and quality objectives and performance measure
• Empower and encourage employees to act to resolve food safety and quality issues within their scope of work
• Implement, maintain, and continuously improve the food safety and quality culture within the location
• Effectively communicate all key performance indicators and objectives to employees
• Ensure staffing and adequate resources are maintained to meet objectives
• Educate all staff to understand the importance of food safety and food quality controls and deviation consequences.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (B.A. /B.S.) from a four-year college or university; or three or more years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5-8 years' experience in QA/Food with experience in a manufacturing environment preferred. Experience with managing direct reports is required.
• Must have technical understanding of food safety including manufacturing, quality, HACCP, and GMP operations.
• Knowledge of microbiology and formulation of products is preferred.
• Must have strong ability to apply basic statistical concepts to problem solving and root cause analysis, and ability to manipulate data in spreadsheets.
• Good written and verbal communication skills are a requirement.
• Must possess sufficient analytical skills to use laboratory equipment.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the food/beverage industry
• Previous experience in Manufacturing or production environment.
• Professional certifications in quality (e.g., ASQ) is preferred
• Experience managing customer, USDA, FDA, Organic and SQF audits
• Experience in report writing
• Must possess excellent organization and time management skills because this is a high-paced high-issue job.
• Must be detailed oriented and have the ability to multi-task
• Proven organizational skills
• Ability to direct, coach and train others.
• Consultative, influential, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS

This position requires sufficient physical ability to work in a typical office setting; driving a motor vehicle and occasionally working in the field.

FREQUENT: Ability to talk and hear; ability to stand, walk, climb stairs, stoop, bend and/or crouch; push/pull; lift up to 50 pounds; use of hands and fingers to operate machinery/equipment and all manual and electronic equipment in area of responsibility. Exposure to wet and humid conditions and fluctuations in ambient temperature (seasonal).

OCCASIONAL: Squatting, kneeling, ability to reach above and at shoulder height. Ability to wear a dust mask, and perform Confined Entry using LOTO program. Exposure to toxic and corrosive chemicals.

VISION: Ability to use close and distance vision, as well as color and peripheral vision with or without correction. Must be able to visually detect obstacles and potential dangers in a fast-paced production environment involving high speed equipment and powered industrial lift equipment.

HEARING: Ability to hear in the normal audio range with or without correction. Exposure to noise levels from pumps, machinery, forklift traffic, bottle lines and exhaust fans.

This job description is not intended to contain a comprehensive list of the responsibilities that are required to successfully perform in this position. Other duties as assigned are part of every job description. The conditions herein 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 to perform the essential job functions.

Lassonde Pappas & Co., Inc provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.