Food Safety and Quality Assurance FSQA Manager

The FSQA Manager works directly with the processing plant manager to ensure compliance with Foster Farms USDAFSISs and customers requirements.  The incumbent administers executes and verifies the effective implementation of Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) policies and programs to ensure the safety legality and quality of products.  This position manages and develops FSQA Supervisors and an extensive technical staff at the processing plant level to achieve department and company goals.  This position has the sole inplant authority to release or retain products on FSQA Hold for quality or regulatory concerns thus sound judgment in rendering a product as wholesome and compliant to specifications is required.

Job Functions

The incumbent is responsible for:

• Functioning as the primary FSQA leader; managing and enforcing the implementation verification and validation of Food Safety programs such as HACCP/SSOP Plans; ensuring adherence with GFSI and Company internal audit standards; managing the regulatory relationship with local USDAFSIS and other regulatory agencies; retaining products that do not conform to finished product specifications or legal requirements; and rendering product dispositions including the release into commerce.
• Managing the implementation maintenance evaluation and enforcement of: USDAFSIS regulations including the working relationship with local Inspection Program Personnel; company FSQA policies and programs (environmental monitoring Good Manufacturing Practices pest control allergen control and finished product specification compliance); and all product monitoring programs that have legal customer and company requirements.
• Overseeing all team members at the processing facility (including visitors and contractors) to ensure competence in maintaining food safety and quality compliance.  This includes the design coordination and of required training in collaboration with the Human Resources Operations Sanitation Maintenance and FSQA teams to promote a culture of food safety and quality.
• Leading pathogen testing root cause investigations in partnership with Operations management to address and correct processing sanitation and maintenancerelated deficiencies that might impact finished product safety quality or regulatory compliance.
• In partnership with Operations management leading investigations to determine the root cause for finished product quality noncompliance and customer or consumer complaints and correct and prevent manufacturing mechanical formulation or process control deficiencies that may lead to finished product noncompliance.
• In partnership with the sites Operations manager scheduling meetings and direct communications with local USDAFSIS inspectors to coordinate and report resolution of regulatory noncompliance as well as providing Foster Farms Corporate management team with data and reports to address all noncompliance trends.
• Evaluating facility specific FSQA programs and procedures to established standards and modifying programs to conform with regulatory requirements and company policies. 
• Managing and improving the FSQA data reporting systems communicating trends and rootcause analyses to Corporate management for noncompliance resolution and process improvement. 
• Actively leading team projects to drive continuous improvement in product safety and quality. This may include commercialization projects organized by R&D for new products.
• Actively managing all Company and FSQA Key Performance Indicators to ensure achievement of Corporate FSQA objectives.

Qualifications :

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in food or animal science chemistry microbiology or related field is required (extensive experience and demonstrated equivalent knowledge may be considered in lieu of formal education).
• Minimum required 5 years of work experience in food processing with supervisory and management experience for food safety and quality systems.
• Previous managerial experience supervising salaried and nonsalaried team.
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office products.
• Previous managerial experience supervising salaried and nonsalaried team members. This includes demonstrated proficiency coaching mentoring and developing management team members professional skills and knowledge.
• Demonstrated proficiency leading and managing crossfunctional teams.
• A thorough practical and functional knowledge of USDA/FSIS regulatory requires must be demonstrated.
• Demonstrate a proactive problemsolving and critical thinking approach to FSQA program design implementation and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrate initiative and the ability to work independently without regular direct supervision or instruction.
• Possess strong writing and presentation skills to communicate at all levels throughout the organization including with executive management customers and government regulatory officials.
• Possess the ability to render sound judgment regarding food safety risks and product disposition.
• Must be able to work flexible hours to ensure adequate supervision of all processing and sanitation work schedules.
• Must have the ability to travel for businessrelated tasks (site visits and audits of other companyowned manufacturing facilities) or for continuing professional development (educational or industry conferences and Corporate FSQA meetings).

Preferred Qualifications

• An advanced degree is preferred (as this position is considered a key development role for advancement to the Corporate FSQA team).
• The successful applicant will be detailoriented with a strong analytical aptitude. Experience implementing and teaching Statistical Process Control.
• Experience with SAP and enterprise data management systems.

Additional Information :

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Foster Farms is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities Females Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Foster Farms participates in EVerify during the hire process at all locations for all new Team Members.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Fulltime