Sr. Quality Assurance Director

Job Description

This role is responsible for assessing plants in compliance with company and regulatory requirements. This role will develop critical auditing skills in zone FSQA personnel to ensure continuity of food safety programs across all production facilities and drive improved performance. The position will provide technical support and guidance to plant food safety / quality assurance staff and company management, as needed to help mitigate food safety and quality issues.

• Job is an individual contributor and has no direct reports.
• Refine and monitor compliance with company-wide policies and practices related to global quality expectations. Engage plant food safety/quality and operational staff to ensure successful program adoption. Maintain standards and ensure they are updated to reflect changing requirements.
• Review key KPIs and FSQA indicators of plants to develop scope of audits.
• Evaluate plants in all zones by collaborating with zone auditors to assess compliance with company and regulatory requirements.
• Develop plant level audit reports and work with plant operations to develop effective corrective actions to mitigate significant food safety vulnerabilities.
• Follow up regularly with plant operations personnel and zone FSQA to ensure corrective actions are being implemented and are effective.
• Collaborate with global, zone, and plant level food safety/quality assurance staff during audits to ensure consistent understanding of current regulations and OSI policies.
• Participate as technical subject matter expert during Food Safety Assessments, when responding to Regulatory non-compliances, when evaluating vendors, during third-party or customer audits, during investigative findings of fact, or when various other third parties inspect or visit the facility to review food safety/ quality practices.
• Provide research, guidance, and technical support to internal and external customers on the use of food safety/quality assurance practices to solve issues; includes participation in the food safety emergency response program or other teams as directed.
• Develop and maintain relationships with food safety/quality assurance professionals in the industry to maintain the latest and most current informationon the state of food safety and industry direction that affect the operations of the company.
• This role has the responsibility to understand and places in practice appropriate safety procedures. This responsibility is achieved through education, training, use of protective equipment (as applicable) and by following safety policies, regulations, standards, and laws.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills

• 10+ years of experience in related field is preferred.
• Excellent proficiency in all Microsoft Office Suite Products.
• High degree of functional competency and technical understanding in auditing and food safety/quality assurance processes.
• Ability to communicate in English clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to influence others where no direct line of authority exists.

• BA/BS or equivalent is required.
• Advanced degree in related field is preferred
• Microbiology, chemistry, food science, animal science, or a related field.

• Work can be performed within a manufacturing plant environment with noise, extreme temperatures, and significant movement of powered equipment, people and conveyor (may depend on the role).
• Work conditions are typical of an office & plant environment.
• This role requires both domestic and international travel.
• Position may require the physical agility of lifting up to 15 pounds
• Position may require frequent and/or infrequent of bending, squatting, pushing, pulling, stretching/reaching, use hands or fingers, talk, hear, feel objects, tools, controls and standing/walking on concrete flooring.
• Position may require the physical ability to stand/walk for Less than 4 hours.