We're on the lookout for a dynamic Food Safety and Quality Manager to join our team and play a pivotal role in ensuring our commitment to exceptional standards. As a Food Safety and Quality Manager with Vermont Smoke and Cure, you'll spearhead efforts to enhance our processes and elevate the quality of our products. If you thrive in a culture that values continuous improvement and innovation, and if you're passionate about delivering top-notch products to our customers, we invite you to be a key player in shaping the future of quality at Vermont Smoke and Cure. Join us in our journey to set new standards in the world of premium, handcrafted smoked meats!
About Us:
At Vermont Smoke & Cure we pride ourselves in making delicious meat sticks with the finest flavor in every bite. Our team members are the heart of our organization, and we are proud to work with quality-minded, neighborly, respectful people who do things The Vermont Way. If this sounds like an environment you want to be a part of, we look forward to hearing from you!
Details:
- This job is on site at our facility in Hinesburg, VT
- Monday - Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm
- Reports to the Director of Operations
- Manages Quality Technicians and Sanitation Supervisor
Job Summary:
The role of the Food Safety and Quality Manager includes overseeing the quality assurance function by coordinating programs and initiatives at Vermont Smoke & Cure. This position implements and enforces policies to ensure adherence to established quality standards in manufacturing products and processes. They are actively engaged in the development, execution, and management of quality management systems, with an eye on monitoring advancements towards strategic quality objectives. This role is dedicated to driving continuous improvement in processes and products.
Responsibilities:
- Guide the development of quality assurance capabilities by providing regular observation and constructive feedback, conducting annual reviews, and facilitating growth planning initiatives.
- Provide real time leadership to Operations in matters of Food Safety and Food Quality.
- Drive a culture of quality at VSC by leading by example and following QMS standards, policies, and procedures.
- Hold non-conforming products and equipment and create records of non-conforming products and/or equipment.
- Interface with auditors, customers, or other reviewers of VSC’s compliance to standards.
- Owner of pre-requisite programs.
- Cross-Functional Leader of Qualification and Verification projects for new products, equipment, and processes.
- Conduct audits in GMP compliance and facility condition, perform trending and recommendations for improvement.
- Perform record review, data entry, and analysis of batch records and process monitoring records.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the Sanitation Program by performing operational and environmental monitoring of processing areas and tools, including microbiological and ATP sampling and analysis. Monitor trends and lead corrective action.
- Facilitate VSC training program in compliance with company policies and procedures of VSC’s Food Safety and Quality systems.
- Develop and maintain procedures associated with the Food Safety and Quality systems, including HACCP Plans, Pre-Requisite Programs, and supporting documentation.
- Contributes as a member in the company’s HACCP, Food Defense, and Crisis Management Teams.
- Lead investigations in matters of Operational non-conformances, Customer Complaints, and other non-compliances.
- Perform analytical and microbiological sampling and testing of ingredients, process, and finished products.
- Work inter-departmentally and with external resources determine root causes of problems, develop corrective action plans, and communicate recommendations for improvement.
- Lead quality improvement projects and programs aimed at reducing process variability, more valuable specifications, and greater operational efficiency.
- Develops and leads qualified personnel within the Quality Assurance and Sanitation departments.
- Perform as the SQF Practitioner.
- Follow QMS standards, policies, and procedures.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Engineering or related scientific field.
- Education, training and/or experience with Food Safety, HACCP, SQF, sanitation (SSOP & GMP) and/or other food safety systems and Quality Assurance process improvement skills required.
- Experience with HACCP plan design, evaluation, documentation & training required.
- Experience with interacting with third-party auditors for SQF Level III inspections.
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in Quality Assurance, food manufacturing preferred.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in a leadership role.
- Proficiency in MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel).
Competencies:
- Excellent analytical skills to identify trends, analyze data, and make data-driven decisions.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and communicate quality requirements.
- Strong problem-solving skills to identify root causes of quality issues and implement effective corrective actions.
- Ability to lead and motivate a team to achieve quality objectives.
- Demonstrates the ability to work independently with a self-directed approach, ensuring efficient and effective contributions to tasks and projects.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty at a satisfactory level. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The mental and physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Physical Demands:
- Regularly required to sit, stand or walk for prolonged periods of time.
- Regularly required to talk and hear.
- Regularly required to visually observe objects up close and at a distance.
- Regularly requires hands to handle or feel and finger dexterity.
- Occasionally required to reach or bend.
- Infrequent light physical effort is required.
Mental Demands:
- Regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret complex data, information, and documents; analyze and solve problems; learn and apply new information or skills; perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks with constant interruptions.
- Regularly requires demonstrated poise, tact and diplomacy when interacting with those encountered in the course of work, some of whom may be demanding, dissatisfied, or upset.
Working Conditions:
- Work is primarily performed in a food manufacturing plant.
- Work is often performed in an office environment.
- Work is sometimes performed at a location site, such as retail, wholesale, or other commercial space.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person