Director, Quality Assurance

How would we describe a career with Agri-Mark / McCadam / Cabot Creamery? More than 100 years of : Farmers, Family, Mission, Purpose, Sustainability, Respect, Integrity, Work Ethic, Teamwork, Pride in Award Winning Products, and Agriculture.

Cabot Creamery achieved B Corp certification in 2012 and became the world’s first dairy co-op to do so. This certification demonstrates our commitment to transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.

What you'll be doing :

Responsible for supporting the manufacturing plants in the areas of Food Safety and Quality Assurance.

Provide leadership, direction, and guidance to manufacturing plant employees by understanding regulatory, customer, and company requirements, policies, and procedures.

Direct QA systems in order to satisfy internal and customer requirements during the conversion of raw materials into finished goods.

Oversight of QA Systems would include the following responsibilities :

• Process evaluation and product protection programs.
• Process specification and standard conformance.
• CIP and COP programs and validation & verification.
• HACCP plan formulation, administration and training.
• Product labeling compliance to include preserved identity items

Kosher, HALAL, rBST, GMO status, Natural).

• Product storage and distribution.
• Proactively monitor quality systems to optimize detection of failures in manufacturing processes.
• Ensure the supplier quality management program is in place and effective in each of our locations.
• Customer complaint investigation and resolution.
• 3rd party, customer and regulatory audit follow-up and resolution to adverse findings.
• Lead and direct regular team conference calls and meetings to facilitate communication, education, teamwork, and problem solving.

Support of Quality Systems would include :

• Hold & release programs for each facility.
• Traceability of our products from raw material to the consumer.
• Mock recall & recovery efforts.
• Product testing, grading and review.
• Product functionality testing.
• Process verification programs.
• Internal auditing to proactively optimize detection systems.
• External auditing to include 3rd party, customer and regulatory inspections, audits and surveys.
• Environmental microbiological monitoring programs.
• Direct and guide problem solving efforts through facilitation of team meetings and on-the-floor leadership.
• Promote continuous improvement.
• Communicate with Operations, QA and Sales teams as necessary to satisfy customer, company and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with 3rd party, customer and regulatory visitors to our facilities.
• Travel to all four manufacturing plants, aging warehouses, or suppliers / co-packers as necessary to support company operations.

MANAGEMENT / SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES :

Directs and supervises the Supplier Quality Auditor and Operations Admin and QA Specialist

Supports, advises and facilitates activities of the QA Managers at each of our four locations.

Supports the position of VP, QA, Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance during periods of absence.

Responsible to provide direction, coordination and evaluation of human capital in the QA Department.

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.

Assists with interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance;

rewarding and disciplining employees; developing succession plan for respective QA Departments; addressing employee complaints, and resolving problems and issues.

What we are seeking :

• Values that align with Agri-Mark culture : Respect, Teamwork, Transparency, Ownership, Passion, and Integrity.
• Bachelor’s degree in microbiology, food science, or related science discipline. Extensive equivalent experience will be taken into consideration.
• Minimum of ten (10) years QA related experience in the dairy industry.
• Experience processing, utilizing, or packaging dairy products preferred.
• Experience in managing and directing QA functions in multiple sites to insure perspective for both fine details and the big picture.
• Working knowledge of State Department of Agriculture, USPH, FDA, and USDA regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of food safety and quality systems to include HACCP, environmental pathogen monitoring, pest control, and sanitation.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in establishing and maintaining good working relationships within all levels of the Agri-Mark organization as well as with external customers and regulatory agents.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish, facts, draw sound conclusions, and provide solutions.
• Ability to influence, communicated, and effect positive change.
• Ability to work in a team environment as well as independently while displaying good time management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in multiple locations and meet set deadlines.
• Working knowledge of MS Office to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access, as well as knowledge of AS-400 systems.
19 days ago