Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager

Established in 1992 with the goal of marrying culinary excellence, food science, and cutting-edge technology, we are recognized by the nation’s largest multi-unit restaurant operators as a trend-forward, innovative custom food product manufacturer and development company.

Located in Ontario, California, approximately 40 miles east of Los Angeles and centrally located near California’s and Mexico’s growing regions, we have year-round access to freshly harvested vegetables.

What if you were given the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference? Join a company proud of its food products and passionate about the food industry and its everlasting growth! Do you enjoy reviewing food safety processes and procedures ensuring that food complies? Are you interested in managing a team of FSQA Technicians daily and possess knowledge of quality standards?  If so, we are seeking a Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager to join our team for our Ontario location.  

The Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager plays a key “hands-on” role in ensuring all products meet acceptable quality and food safety standards. The FSQA manager is relentless in the pursuit of manufacturing food products with “first time” zero defects. The FSQA Manager provides direct leadership and expertise to the quality team along with modeling best practices for operations and commercialization. The FSQA Manager’s position requires the individual to think both strategically and tactically.

Essential Duties & Job Responsibilities

• Takes responsibility and is accountable for ensuring all finished goods and components (WIPS) is made in accordance with good manufacturing practices, product specifications, food safety standards, product labeling and packaging requirements, regulatory compliance, and any standards applied to finished goods.
• Without exception, ensures all production areas execute products utilizing approved formulas including the presence of hard copy formulas on hand in approved display points for every production station.
• Approaches the position with common sense utilizing a dual approach of measuring products against objective analytical information (physical/chemical) and organoleptic feedback (taste, smell, texture, appearance).
• Assesses and manages risks associated with new product runs and the utilization of company resources.
• Represents the quality management function internally and externally in a collaborative team-building non-dictatorial way particularly as it relates to working with operations and commercialization.
• Organizes daily product sensory cuttings for quality and operations team members to sample products for compliance and product awareness.
• Plays a customer-facing role as needed interacting with clients in person and via the phone for a variety of reasons including product runs, during audits, on conference calls, and while addressing complaints.
• Ensures a certified quality management team member is on hand and participates in all new product runs.
• Provide technical support to operations, maintenance, sanitation, logistics, procurement, and sales.
• Pioneers new systems, standard operating procedures, and departmental policies to improve the quality control process leading to improvements in finished product execution, reduced defect rate, and production efficiency.
• Establishes specific metrics and key performance indicators for team productivity, product release turnaround time, defect rate mitigation, defect recovery, and finished goods compliance.
• Organizes and facilitates efficient and effective pre-production pre-shift meetings with quality staff ensuring all formulas, processes, ingredients, and other salient information is reviewed in advance of production
• Responsible for physical chemistry lab including staff, team oversight, productivity analytical accuracy.
• Relays opportunities and challenges of new product quality control to the commercialization manager.
• Provides regular pre-planned training for all staff as needed on operating standards, and changes in protocols.
• Ensures the department operates efficiently and within budget.
• Become a subject matter expert relative to Haliburton’s processing equipment and finished products.
• Mentors and other team members to constantly improve by setting a positive example, and never short-cutting.
• Establishes and maintains a work environment that is well organized, clean, and efficient.
• Collaborates/works with staff and cross-functional teams in a productive, professional, and thoughtful way.
• Ensure safety compliance with organizations policy, State and Federal regulations and oversee and ensure the cleanliness of the work environment
• Enforce HACCP, SOP, and GMP procedures and commit to Food Safety as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Safety purposes

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in food science, process engineering, or manufacturing is required.
• 5 years of quality experience including at least 2 years of quality team management.
• SQF Practitioner, knowledge of HAACP, USDA, and FDA regulations about shelf-stable, refrigerated, and frozen food products; food quality systems, food safety systems,
• Computer savvy, including data entry; proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Outlook; as well as general proficiency with ERP programs and internet-based applications.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills, problem-solving and organizational skills
• Demonstrate full knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices policies and procedures

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The Company 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.