Quality Assurance Manager

Your Opportunity As a Quality Assurance Manager you will ensure food safety and quality of all ingredients, packaging and finished products. You will take responsibility and accountability for the safe and effective use of materials and equipment and ensure compliance with defined policies and procedures including regulatory, GMPs, HACCP, GFSI, SOPs. In this role you will be the company Practitioner for a GFSI recognised Quality System, developing, validating, verifying, and maintaining that system. You will train and mentor employees towards continuous improvements. Location & Work Arrangements Location: 1969 Victory Dr., Columbus, GA 31901 (Hostess Manufacturing Plant). This role is 100% on‑site, day shift with flexibility required. Willingness to work off shift (including nights, weekends, and/or holidays) and flow to the work as needed. Responsibilities Act as a leader in the organisation, actively champion and role model the site vision which focuses on the safety and well‑being of employees, products and equipment. Develop and lead programmes that ensure compliance to all company quality and food safety policies, and all Federal, State and local regulatory requirements; teach and translate these requirements into daily operation. Ensure compliance to company quality procedures, ingredient specifications, process control specifications and finished product specifications. Be responsible for people management and leadership development to include coaching, developing and empowering leadership team members and technicians to enhance peak performance. Lead the Quality Team for the plant through data‑driven direction setting, prioritisation, building capability, maintaining a quality master plan and 90‑day plans. Build skills and capabilities in quality subject owners. Ensure effectiveness of site QA training programme (new hire and ongoing QA training). Drive continual quality improvement as measured by quality key performance indicators including internal and external audits, company quality metrics and site lead‑and‑lag measures. Provide consistent and standardised technical support to the manufacturing facility in relation to quality and food safety requirements. Perform quality audits at supplier facilities in the U.S., Canada and internationally, and work with each facility to implement corrective actions. Participate in JMS initiatives and projects for supply chain changes and new product introductions. Coach QA team members and oversee the Food Safety and Food Defence programmes for the plant; responsible for the site Food Safety Plan and lead the GFSI Audit programme. Communicate JMS quality, food safety and food defence guidelines and present training to all employees. Manage quality non‑conformance events with the goal of investigating root cause and implementing corrective actions to prevent repeat incidents. Co‑ordinate holds, product disposition, product withdrawals and recalls. Monitor quality of manufactured products using computer complaint data, including complaint investigation, root‑cause analysis, complaint response and corrective action. Perform annual performance appraisals for all direct reports and develop key personnel through coaching, training and organisational development. Manage the QA budget. Oversee documentation management and change management for all quality and environmental programmes. Manage the department using principle‑based decision‑making and the Basic Beliefs as a foundation to preserve the Smucker culture. Build relationships internally and externally to the site for personal development. Represent the organisation in a professional, positive manner with contract manufacturing partners and regulatory agencies. Minimum Requirements Bachelor’s Degree is required. Minimum of five years of food manufacturing operations experience. Minimum of two years of QA/QC management experience. Experience with GFSI, USDA, FDA, SQF or BRC audits. Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and capacity to multitask efficiently. Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and effective listening skills. Additional Skills and Experience Working knowledge of FDA regulations, including GMPs and FSMA. Risk‑based decision making and data‑driven priority setting. Proactive issue resolution, loss analysis and problem solving. Ability to work collaboratively across departmental boundaries. Ability to understand complex process operations as it relates to quality, food safety, environmental and troubleshooting. Work Environment This job operates in a manufacturing environment. Noise levels can be loud. Physical Demands Regularly required to talk and hear. Frequently required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. Occasionally required to sit, climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Required to lift objects up to 50 pounds frequently. May push and pull heavy trash carts, dough carts, portable equipment and catch pans. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Equal Employment Opportunity All applicants will be considered for employment. The Company is an equal opportunity employer. No applicant will be discriminated against on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. #J-18808-Ljbffr The J.M. Smucker Company