GENERAL SUMMARY OF PURPOSE:

Under direct supervision of the Director of Operations, is responsible for the production operations, facilities, fleet maintenance and purchasing support of the Company’s operations.

Provide direction, leadership and management to the plant management team in support of the plant’s mission, which is: “On-time delivery of a quality product at a reasonable cost” while maintaining a clean, safe and highly efficient plant operation.

Responsible for the decision making, direction and coordination of the efficient processing of all linen products including production planning and control, engineering, production inspection, plant maintenance, purchasing and inventory control.

Provide plant and processing ideas, insights and expertise for the strategic and annual planning process.

Plan with other members of the Executive Management team to maximize profits and return of investments, and to fulfill our prime directive to be a low cost producer within a sales and service culture.

Evaluate the performance of plant equipment and recommend long-term capital purchases.

Create and maintain a safe environment in all plant operations and enforce Company policies.

Serve as Co-chairman of the Joint Loss Management Committee (JLMC) and member of Health, Environmental and Regulatory Compliance (HERC) Committee. Monitor and maintain experience modification factor to zero.

Participate in senior management planning and problem solving on short and long-range goals and any issues directing the Company’s direction and focus.

Manage production efforts, internally and with marketing/sales, finance and administration, engineering and human resource departments, in the development and implementation of profit-oriented programs

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Manage and supervise plant department managers. This includes hiring and training of direct management reports, providing direction and guidance, coaching and guidance, as well as conducting personnel evaluation and discipline related matters.

Responsible for controlling plant operation costs and budgeting.

Analyze and recommend long term plans for improvement and capacity, assess and recommend equipment improvement and replacement, methods and process improvements.

_Create and develop documentation of all plant operating procedures and policies.
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_Ensure high performance in efficiency, accuracy and quality in all plant departments.
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_Develop or introduce new program(s) for the advancement and utilization of innovative methods, manufacturing techniques, processes and systems, and develop and implement training for plant employees on the new program in order to keep our plant productivity on the leading edge of our industry.
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Direct plant management towards continuous improvement of processes, identify major areas for improvement, prioritize and coordinate with other departments as needed.

_Responsible for plant safety and loss prevention. As co-chairman of the JLMC and with direction from Human Resources, will lead the committee to ensure the safety and wellness of all employees. As member of the HERC Committee, promote a safe and healthy work environment, monitor and keep the Company in compliance with local, state and federal regulations dealing with environment, safety and health regulations, particularly those dealing the EPA and OSHA.
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KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Education and Experience:

College Degree is required.
3+ years of plant management experience with strong leadership, team building and communication skills in a manufacturing or production environment.
Proven experience in developing, setting and maintaining programs that ensures productive operations.
Experience in the supervision of two or three levels of management and /or supervision.
Knowledgeable in OSHA and EPA regulations and compliance.
Demonstrated experience with manufacturing systems (e.g., Lean Manufacturing, or equivalent)

Qualifications

Bachelor's (Preferred)

QA Manager: 2 years (Preferred)

Food Manufacturing: 2 years (Preferred)

Full Job Description

Summary:

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for establishing, implementing, and managing quality control systems designed to ensure adherence to food safety, specifications, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement of products. The Quality Assurance Manager must be able to communicate clearly and in a timely fashion with all departments, and demand adherence to, the high standards of Food Safety and Quality Assurance Systems, Quality Control Systems, Manufacturing Processes, and Sanitation Protocols. Manage, plan, supervise and control all aspects of plant quality to include; coordination of the development, training, implementation and reporting of Food Safety and Quality into 100% of facility processes monitor and maintain compliance with GFSI, FDA Food Safety regulations and requirements; consistently implement requirements set forth for maintaining the highest standard of quality for products and services.

Key Responsibilities:

Responsible for leading, managing, and successfully executing all aspects of Quality, and Food Safety Systems including training, implementation, and reporting.
Responsible for all aspects of maintaining adherence to the FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA), IFS (GFSI), as well as USDA, and other 3rd party compliance standards.
Interface with third party auditors; IFS, Kosher Council, and county, state, and federal agencies as pertains to audits, GMP, HACCP, regulatory, quality, and food safety issues. IFS representative; responsible for implementation and serves as point of contact for IFS standards for the plant.
Ensure implementation and maintenance of Quality Systems for Quality Control and Manufacturing activities, including deviation control, change control, document control, inspection readiness, OOS/OOT, CAPA/quality issue management, internal and external audits, management review and training programs.
In line with company business strategy, develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, and procedures for the quality assurance department.
Involved in hiring and training department employees on food safety, quality assurance and quality control activities.
Manage the disposition and resolution of non-conforming areas. Ensure inspection and Material Review Board (MRB) processes are executed timely and effectively; Ensure department supervision does the same.
Audit company policies, procedures, and systems that affect product quality to assure compliance with the company’s quality system and good manufacturing processes. Prepare documents and reports.
Investigate quality and food safety and compliance issues (e.g., CAPA, non-conformances, audit observations, customer complaints) for all production processes prior to final product release based on company principles; analyze results, make recommendations and develop reports.
Oversee analytical and microbiological work done at each step of the production process to assure that quality control standards are maintained by developing and monitoring lab and plant specifications for each product.
Lead investigations of product complaints and breakdowns. Perform any necessary analytical work and associated reporting as needed. Conduct root cause investigation to identify and correct issue to determine corrective and preventative action.
Maintain and improve as needed the Quality Management System (QMS) and conduct quality audit system.
Interface with customers, management, sales, production manager, and production staff to facilitate growth and improvement in the quality process.
Manage lab investment, budget and cost optimization projects in conjunction with procurement and finance department. Review and approve the purchase of lab supplies and equipment.
Enforce company policies, establish performance standards, and evaluate employee status.
Maintain and manage the FDA SSOP programs and review daily documentation generated to assure regulatory and specification compliance.
Oversee plant sanitation and pest control programs. Ensure compliance with HACCP, process and quality SOPs, and adherence to GMP standards.
Responsible for the selection, training, development and supervision of QA staff
hold regular weekly QA-Meeting and protocol sustainable corrective actions, interdepartmental presentation of current QS-problems.
Responsible for leading process, cleaning validation studies. Based on validation studies develop monitoring and implementation of cleaning plans and insure their effectiveness.
Lead internal audit programs that include site hygiene inspections and following up on corrective action.
Responsible for several systems of food safety at the production site, such as Food Defense, Allergen Monitoring, Monitoring of foreign bodies according to the Central Quality M directive.
Guarantee the traceability in plant, check the functionality of traceability system by regular traceability tests.

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Responsible for the compliance, preparation, supervision and follow-up of customer, co-packers, supplier and certifications audits.

Responsible for over site of regulatory affairs including legal assessment of suppliers, data management, product development, and labeling.

Responsible for reporting to Central Quality Management in form of monthly QA reports, communications of deviations and critical incidents on site.

Excellent Computer skills (Microsoft office, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint) and ERP system ideally MS –Dynamics.

Other Duties as assigned.

Professional Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science / Technology or related discipline
Comprehensive knowledge of US food law referring to raw material, packaging material and finished products (composition and labelling)
Regulatory Affairs experience in the food manufacturing industry or laboratory is explicitly desired
Excellent project management expertise, as well as analytical and microbiological skills are necessary
Strong persuasive power, excellent communication skills and team working, interpersonal skills are also required
Experience with GFSI approved audit scheme, i.e. IFS, BRC
Secure knowledge of MS Office, experience in modern ERP systems, ideally MS –Dynamics, IT skills
Knowledge of one or more foreign languages (preferred German) are an advantage
Proven ability to lead a team.

Experience Required:

Minimum 2 years experience as QA Manager or 5 years experience as QA Supervisor in a food manufacturing industry
Applicant must be a committed team worker with a strong sense of responsibility and excellent attention to detail.
Experience in supervising, coaching, and developing staff.