SUMMARY OF ROLE
The Director of Food Safety Quality Assurance provides leadership, direction, and day-to-day support critical to delivering unsurpassed quality and safety to all InHarvest products, manufactured internally or at co-manufacturing locations. Accountable for cradle-to-grave strategic quality leadership, including integration of quality and food safety into business development, directly integrating quality/food safety into the business, development and execution of a quality management system, and maintaining compliance to appropriate quality and food safety regulatory requirements. The position works directly with Culinary, Plant Operations, Sales, Supply Chain and other appropriate business leaders to ensure confidence in product quality and food safety programs. Lead the organization in the management of ongoing performance and adherence to specification and will supervise a staff responsible for quality systems, CAPA, supply programs, and customer documentation.
As a member of the InHarvest team, the ability to foster an environment of accountability, excellence, collaboration and innovation is required. The Director of FSQA will partner with his or her peers to achieve the goals of the company while honoring the core values of InHarvest. These core values include:
- Passionate
- Problem Solver
- Positive
- Honest
- Team Player
- Committed
- Life Long Leaner
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Identify, lead and facilitate broad based product Quality & Food Safety programs and improvements throughout the company to set a level of superior performance against customer expectations.
- Establishes company-wide programs, policies and expectations for quality assurance and food safety initiatives.
- Provide leadership, support and mentoring to InHarvest quality personnel.
- Provide quality & food safety leadership and input into product and process development activities. Work with plant and Culinary personnel to ensure product consistency.
- Monitor trends and emerging issues within the quality & food safety business environments to keep InHarvest informed, involved, and on the leading edge of such issues.
- Develops and executes a comprehensive Food Safety & Quality strategy that drives exceptional food safety compliance and establishes quality as a competitive advantage
- Contributes food safety and quality expertise to new product development efforts
- Oversees the implementation of the following programs: BRC AA, FSMA compliance, HACCP, Sanitation / Environmental, GMP’s, Pest Control, Chemical Control, Traceability & Recall, Allergen Control, Food Defense, Customer Complaints/Process and Product/Ingredient Evaluation
- Knows, understands, and complies with OSHA and plant safety regulations. Ensures laboratory personnel comply with plant and lab safety programs.
- Supports positive cross-functional interactions. Fosters a team spirit that encourages collaboration with other departments.
- Communicates with the organization to make certain that the right people have the right information at the right time.
- Provides adequate time, training materials, and other resources that assist employees in learning their roles and responsibilities.
- Responsible for developing and executing Annual Budgets for all QA and Food Safety spend
- Coach team to success
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Food / Food Ingredient Manufacturing 10-15 years experience
- Quality Assurance/Food Safety Leadership Role (7 years)
- Development of Quality Assurance and Food Safety Consistent Plan across multiple sites
- Advanced knowledge of food best practices HACCP/FSMA, GFSI programs/audit schemes (BRC/SQF/FSSC 2200)
- Records creation, development and maintenance for SOP’s, process work flows, policies, recipes, equipment maintenance, FDA, and other regulatory organizations
- Laboratory testing and Microbiological Control
- Proven track record of successful regulatory compliance, audits and reports (BRC, SQF, FDA, Allergen Control, Food Defense, Food Quality, Sanitation, Pest Control, Microbiological Control and Customer)
- Customer follow up and coordination of quality related items or issues including recalls
- Continuous Improvement, lean and or Six Sigma
- Teaching, coaching & mentoring quality systems & policies to employees directly and indirectly
- Education: Bachelor’s degree science (food science, microbiology, chemistry, engineering or related degree)
- Highly organized and process-driven.
- Dedicated to the pursuit of continuous improvement
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- MBA or MS in Food Science, Food Safety or related field
- Background in Cereal Chemistry
- R&D food product development
- Background in Grain Based Foods
InHarvest is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran or disability status.