Manufacturing Quality & TestValidation, Compliance & Quality Systems
About the job
Requirements
A bachelor's degree, or seven years of food/beverage quality assurance experience in a production environment in lieu of a degree.
At least three years of food/beverage quality assurance experience in a production environment in addition to education.
Experience leading or supervising a team.
Familiarity with a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard, such as Safe Quality Food (SQF).
Ability to work any shift, weekends, and overtime as needed.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Visio, and Excel; advanced Excel skills are preferred.
Strong technical knowledge of a wide range of food processing equipment.
Understanding of statistical process control (SPC) and associated tools.
Ability to analyze trends and determine corrective actions.
Ability to physically move throughout the facility, including climbing stairs, ladders, elevated catwalks, and entering tight access areas.
Ability to work at a desk for extended periods to perform analytical work or prepare computer reports.
Availability for on-call emergency situations 24 hours a day.
Ability to work in a plant environment with dust, high noise levels, temperature and humidity fluctuations, and wet operating conditions, including prolonged sitting, standing, and walking.
Responsibilities
Lead teams of hourly employees in daily quality assurance inspections to ensure food safety and quality systems requirements are met.
Collaborate with the Test Room Manager to establish and execute metrics and processes that reduce grading errors and sample backlog.
Drive continuous improvement across Membership, Inventory, Receiving, and Grower Accounting teams to improve grower payment efficiency and customer experience.
Support food safety systems by conducting risk assessment evaluations, auditing internal quality systems, and developing preventive control programs.
Conduct off-season internal SQF audits, HACCP audits, and prerequisite program audits.
Coach the Test Room team to meet safety, quality, and production objectives.
Use motivational and corrective techniques, including employee counseling, disciplinary actions, and recognition.
Monitor employee contributions and growth potential to identify opportunities for greater contributions.
Ensure effective staffing through scheduling and job rotation, and manage departmental time and attendance.
Contribute to employee training programs and conduct training to promote continuous learning and workforce flexibility.
Work with the Department Manager to plan and manage departmental activities within the agreed budget.
Perform other required duties, including support for operations, co-manufacturing, and corporate food safety and quality work that may require travel.
Set employee performance goals and deadlines in alignment with company plans and vision.
Organize workflow and ensure employees understand their duties and delegated tasks.
Monitor employee productivity and provide constructive feedback and coaching.
Desired Qualifications
A Bachelor of Science degree in a Natural Science discipline.
Leads teams of hourly employees in executing daily quality assurance inspections ensuring the execution of Food Safety and Quality Systems requirements. Works cross functionally with Quality, Membership and Operations teams to support company goals, ensure audit readiness and drive continuous improvement.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Collaborates with Test Room Manager to ensure metrics and processes are established and executed to reduce grading errors and sample backlog.
Drives continuous improvement across Membership, Inventory, Receiving and Grower Accounting teams to optimize grower payment efficiencies and enhance customer experience.
Supports food safety systems by performing risk assessment evaluations, auditing internal of quality systems and developing preventive control programs.
Conducts off-season internal SQF audits, HACCP audits and prerequisite program audits.
Coaches Test Room team to deliver safety, quality and production objectives.
Applies sound motivational and correctional techniques, including employee counseling and disciplinary actions and recognition for good work.
Stays abreast of employee contributions and potential growth so opportunities for greater contributions can be capitalized.
Ensures proper scheduling and job rotation to effectively staff operation. Appropriately manages time and attendance for the department.
Contributes development of effective employee training programs. Conducts training and promotes continuous learning of staff, resulting in a flexible and agile workforce.
Works with Department Manager to plan and manage department activities within agreed upon budget.
Performs other duties and responsibilities as required, including support with operations, co-manufacturing, and corporate food safety/quality support that may require travel.
MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS
Minimum level of education required
Bachelor's Degree
Minimum number of year(s) of experience required in addition to education plus type(s) of functional experience
3 years of food/beverage quality assurance experience in a production environment.
Other required type(s) of functional experience (e.g. Production/Operations, Accounting, Forklift Operator, Inventory Control, etc.)
Experience leading/supervising a team.
Familiarity with a GFSI Standard (such as SQF).
Total minimum number of years of experience required in lieu of degree (if applicable)
7 years of food/beverage quality assurance experience in a production environment.
Other job requirements (e.g. certifications/licenses, CPG experience, work overtime/weekends, etc.)
Must be able to work any shift, weekends and overtime as needed.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Visio, and Excel (advanced skills preferred).
Required to possess strong technical knowledge covering a wide range of food processing equipment.
Maintains a good understanding of SPC and associated tools.
Must possess the ability to analyze trends and determine corrective actions.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES (Specialized education, specific software experience, etc.)
Bachelor of Science Degree in a Natural Science discipline.
Auditing experience in food processing plants highly preferred.
Must be a proactive team player.
Must be able to function effectively as a leader or member in a team environment; able to translate concepts into concrete examples.
Must be self-starter; demonstrated ability to produce on schedule; act in a constructive manner; strongly motivated to improve self and production department.
Demonstrated leadership ability through discovering and utilizing people’s capabilities, recognizing good work and earning the respect of peers and subordinates.
SAP experience is desired.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Typical number of Direct Reports
Greater than 15
Setting goals for performance and deadlines in ways that comply with company’s plans and vision.
Organizing workflow and ensuring that employees understand their duties or delegated tasks.
Monitoring employee productivity and providing constructive feedback and coaching.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Must be able to physically move throughout the facility, including climbing multiple flights of stairs, ladders, elevated catwalks and tight access areas. Able to work at a desk for extended periods of time doing analytical work or preparing reports on a computer. On call 24 hours a day for emergency situations. Weekend work not uncommon.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Must be able to work in a plant environment being exposed to dust, high noise levels, extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations, and wet operating work conditions. Typical conditions may include prolonged sitting, standing and walking.
WHY BLUE DIAMOND?
In addition to working at the world’s largest, state-of-the-art almond manufacturer, we offer a safe and collaborative team environment, with numerous opportunities for free training and career advancement. Check out the BDG Benefits, Health & Wellness Guide HERE.
Grow your career. Partner with us. We Are the Almond People!
Ready to get started? Apply now!
Blue Diamond Growers (BDG) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. BDG provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, or genetic information. BDG also complies with all provisions of the U.S. Government's Executive Order 11246 dated September 24, 1965 and the rules, regulations and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.