Food Quality Assurance Manager

About Company:

Mentor Technical Group (MTG) provides a comprehensive portfolio of technical support and solutions for the FDA-regulated industry. As a world leader in life science engineering and technical solutions, MTG has the knowledge and experience to ensure compliance with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device safety and efficacy guidelines. With offices in Caguas, Puerto Rico, and Boston and we serve life sciences clients in six global markets: United States, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and South America. 

About the Role:

The Food Quality Assurance Manager oversees quality control and food safety programs, ensuring compliance with company standards, client requirements, and federal regulations. This role leads the implementation and continuous improvement of HACCP, GMP, and related safety systems; provides technical expertise and training; manages corrective actions and crisis resolution; and collaborates with operations, leadership, support teams, and client representatives to consistently deliver safe, high-quality food products and services.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Legal Age: 18 Years Old
• Education or Equivalent Experience: BA/BS or In Hospitality, Food Science Technology or related field
• Supervisory/Managerial Experience: 4-6 years
• Function Specific Experience: 2 years experience in a public health or food safety position. 5-7 years experience in a public health or food safety position
• Certification Requirements: ServSafe certified

Responsibilities:

• Develop and communicate HACCP and food safety standards, policies, procedures, and training materials.
• Ensure contractual compliance with Government APL’s and 
• Provide representation, technical expertise, and guidance to regional operational management, support staff, and client(s) to help resolve food safety emergencies, complaints, or contractual issues
• Monitor and conduct quality assurance/food safety compliance audits
• .Monitor and provide training and technical expertise for Sodexo’s internal, automated, unit-level food safety auditing program.
• Contribute and assist in the development, revision, evaluation and implementation of the Company's quality assurance and food safety policies, procedures, standards and manuals.

Duties: 

• Performs and oversee mess hall inspections following the Quality Control Program in matters related to quality control, food safety and sanitation for the region.
• Provides representation, technical expertise and guidance to regional operations management, support staff and clients 
• Oversee and monitor internal quality assurance specifications 
• Provides guidance and direction to Area Operations Managers, District Managers, Support Staff and Subcontractors to ensure compliance with HACCP and Safety programs to include contract compliance.
• Develop and implement quality improvement/ corrective action plans 
• Manage standard operating procedures
• Provides quality assurance training to all project personnel including Subcontractors
• Lead instructor for district and regional ServSafe classes.
• Take necessary action to ensure that all Sodexo quality and service standards are meet
• Provide trend reports to senior management
• Conduct and review Accident review panels and maintain relationships with workman’s compensation representatives
• Provides feedback to Area Operations Managers, District Managers and Subcontractors on quality control and safety related matters: weekly meeting with District managers to discuss all areas of concern summarized
• Provide training, leadership and direction to client, customers and operations management in the event of emergency situations.
• Complete monthly regional QA inspection calendar and communicate that with QCC’s and COR.
• Provide training on appropriate or current food safety issues or concerns at regional or district meetings.
• Provide training, leadership, and direction to client, customers, operational management, regulatory groups, and crisis managers in the event of emergency situations of public health significance (e.g., suspected food-borne illness).
• Act as food safety liaison to the Government Services Division.
• Provide technical expertise and training to instructors certified to teach Sodexo’s mandatory ServSafe food safety certification program. 

Typical Knowledge and Skills: Identify the qualifications to competently perform the job. List any language(s), software or registrations required to perform this job. Please describe the typical writing, speaking and presentation skills required for this job and identify the audience. 

Safety: Knowledge of safety policies, procedures, and external regulations. This includes safety and loss prevention programs; hazardous materials and chemicals; accident and fire prevention programs; compliance with Company policy, Federal, State, Local codes/standards, OSHA, HACCP, safety of employees and the public; investigation procedures; employee training; and safety incentive programs.

HACCP: Knowledge of Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Points to control the outbreak of foodborne illnesses. This includes developing and monitoring procedures to keep food safe and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Quality Assurance: The ability to administer the technical data activity in the Quality Assurance Department.

Quality Control Protocol: Knowledge of quality control and safety protocol and audit procedures.

Risk Assessment: Ability to make risk assessment judgments for an area based on an understanding of the area's external influences and inherent risks.

Audit Reporting: Ability to write persuasive and effective audit reports, which clearly define actions/recommendations to be taken.

Auditing Skills: Ability to perform and document test work, draw conclusions, and detail recommendations for management corrective actions.

Investigative Skills: Ability to perform and document test work, conduct interviews, and utilize forensic auditing techniques to obtain evidence to establish a reasonable basis for any opinions rendered.

Regulatory Compliance: Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local regulations, as well as Company/client policies and procedures (e.g., Quality Assurance, Safety, Operations, Personnel).

Analysis: The ability to systematically gather information from a variety of sources, analyze information, identify implications of data, draw appropriate conclusions, generate viable alternative solutions to a question or problem, and evaluate the consequences of choosing each alternative.

Customer Service Orientation: The ability to provide excellent service to external and internal customers. This includes seeking to meet customer needs and demands quickly and effectively; remaining calm and professional when dealing with difficult internal/external customers, reviewing complaints from internal/external customers and taking action to remedy the complaint; and taking care of customer.

Decision Making: The ability to know when a decision needs to be made and having the readiness to make timely, sound decisions. This includes selecting the most promising alternative or course of action that is consistent with sound business practices, and with overall Company practices; recognizing when outside advice is needed; and committing to action, even in uncertain situations.

Diversity Awareness/Sensitivity: The ability and willingness to be aware of, understand, and behave in a manner that is respectful of the diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, gender, educational, age, sexual orientation, linguistic, professional, and other differences that make us unique. This includes clearly communicating and reinforcing aims and goals of team, diversity, unity, cooperation, and excellence.

Supervision Received: Works under general direction from Director/Senior Director.

Supervision Provided: Supervises the Food Quality Assurance Auditor, provides guidance and training to less experiences team members. Full human resource responsibility.

Working Conditions:Work is performed in area that is adequately lighted and ventilated.

Physical Demands: Typical physical demands are required to perform the work, such as some walking, standing, bending or carrying of light items.

Mentor Technical Group es un empleador que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades y todos los solicitantes calificados recibirán consideración para el empleo sin importar raza, color, religión, sexo, orientación sexual, identidad de género, información genética, origen nacional, estado de veterano protegido, estado de discapacidad o cualquier otro grupo protegido por ley.

Mentor Technical Group is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.