Quality Assurance Manager

At Danone, Manufacturing the best products and supplying them to meet demand is a key driver for our plant teams. We are currently looking to hire a Quality Assurance Manager based in our Eugene, Oregon (Springfield, Oregon) dairy free frozen ice cream manufacturing facility!

Job Summary
This high visibility role ensures full compliance with all Quality and Food Safety requirements for products, processes, and services produced at the site. The position provides strategic leadership and direction to both the Plant Quality and Plant Leadership Teams, driving continuous improvement and excellence in quality standards to sustainably achieve consistent Quality and uncompromising Food Safety. The role requires demonstrated experience with a GFSI recognized scheme, ice cream production and reporting, strong knowledge of FDA, CFR, and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and accountability for maintaining outstanding performance within the plant's Quality Management System (QMS) and SQF programs.

Key Responsibilities

As a key member of our team, you will play an important role in driving our mission forward. The following responsibilities outline the core expectations and contributions for this position:

Ensure all finished products meet Food Safety and Quality standards and support new product launches under approved conditions.
• Lead laboratory operations, complaint investigations, sanitation, mix room, and continuous improvement to reduce product variability and consumer issues.
• Maintain and validate the Quality & Food Safety System, ensuring compliant processes, effective controls, and strong operator capability.
• Drive root cause analysis, PDCA, audits, zoning, and hygiene standards to strengthen quality performance across the value chain.
• Build and execute the Plant Quality Continuous Improvement Plan aligned with business and global QFS priorities.
• Monitor and analyze QFS KPIs to drive actions toward zero crises, zero critical complaints, improved audit scores, and reduced non quality costs.
• Ensure adherence to finished product specifications and assess the overall effectiveness of site quality systems.
• Manage the plant quality budget and financial planning processes.
• Identify and implement cost efficient quality practices and productivity improvements without compromising product integrity.
• Co lead a shared Plant Quality vision and embed a proactive quality culture across all teams.
• Lead the iCare Culture of Quality roadmap and ensure delivery of milestones and measurable culture improvements.
• Continuously strengthen end to end quality mindset and behavior throughout the plant.
• Other duties as assigned or requested.

Physical Demands
This role requires the following:

• Frequent walking and standing on concrete surfaces for extended periods.
• Sitting for extended periods of time throughout the workday.
• Regular bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, and reaching during inspections.
• Occasional lifting and moving of up to 50 lbs.
• Occasional climbing or working at heights (e.g., accessing elevated platforms or equipment).
• Manual dexterity for computer work.
• Tolerance for wet, cold, and humid environments, as QA work often occurs in production areas.

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise and temperature variations.
• Work schedules could include nights, weekends and/or holidays to provide the ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.

Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems
Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.

Compensation & Benefits:

Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of education, experience, and skills that enable them to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline what we're looking for, including both required and preferred criteria:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in science, food science, or a technical discipline is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of Quality Assurance leadership experience in a food/beverage manufacturing or a regulatory related function (QS, QA, QC, RA) in food, pharmaceutics, medical devices, or biotechnology, is required.
• Demonstrated experience in plant production systems, FDA, CRF, FSMA, QMS, SQF, GMP, HACCP, FSSC 22000, sanitation, and various national, state, and local regulations, including kosher and organic.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (Demonstration of the following):

• Knowledge of quality management systems (CRM's, SmartSheets, PowerBI, MS Teams, SAP, others), daily quality control practices, and adult learning principles applicable to a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of workforce development methods, including identifying skill gaps and implementing structured training approaches.
• Knowledge of leadership expectations, cross functional communication, and collaborative decision making within a Plant Leadership Team (PLT).
• Skill in training and coaching employees, including Frontline Team Leaders, quality practices and daily management routines.
• Skill in assessing quality related issues, responding to operational problems, and supporting longer term quality improvement plans.
• Skill in developing Quality team members through planned learning, skill building activities, and performance support.
• Skill in communicating effectively across teams to support plant wide goals and shared performance outcomes
• Ability to address immediate quality concerns while contributing to the development and execution of medium-term quality improvement plans.
• Ability to design, coordinate, and deliver training that supports consistent quality behaviors across plant teams
• Ability to build team capability by identifying learning needs and implementing ongoing upskilling activities.
• Ability to participate effectively on the Plant Leadership Team and support plant level operational and performance objectives.

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Follow Your Heart, Happy Family Organics, International Delight, Light + Fit, Nutricia , Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STK Cold Brew Coffee , Too Good & Co, and YoCrunch.

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified people without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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