Position DescriptionReporting to the Plant Manager, the Manager, Quality Systems II is accountable for leading the plant Quality Systems function and serving as the site owner of the Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSQMS). This role provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure the effective implementation, execution, verification, and validation of all quality and food safety systems in accordance with SQF Code requirements, FSMA Preventive Controls, FDA regulations, and customer standards. The Manager, Quality Systems II has direct responsibility for maintaining regulatory compliance, managing food safety and quality certifications and licenses, ensuring all required registrations remain current, and acting as the primary site contact for regulatory agencies, certification bodies, and customer systems and policies.
Essential Job Functions:- Quality & Food Safety System Leadership
- Serve as the site SQF Practitioner / food safety leader, championing the facility's Food Safety and Quality Management System in compliance with SQF, FSMA, FDA, GFSI, and customer requirements.
- Lead and oversee the Quality Systems team responsible for maintaining certification readiness and continuous compliance with third-party audits and regulatory standards.
- Own and drive continuous improvement of plant quality and food safety systems, including HACCP, Preventive Controls, SQF System Elements, allergen and organic program management, GMPs, supplier approval, and traceability.
- Ensure all food safety plans, hazard analyses, and preventive controls are properly implemented, validated, verified, and maintained.
- Audit & Regulatory Compliance
- Act as overall plant owner for audit systems, including internal audits, SQF certification audits, regulatory inspections, and customer audits.
- Develop, implement, and maintain a robust internal audit and self-assessment program aligned with SQF, FSMA, FDA, and company requirements including sanitation.
- Ensure timely closure of audit findings, non-conformances, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), including documented root cause analysis and effectiveness verification.
- Maintain compliance with FDA, state and local regulations, SQF Code, Refresco quality policies, HACCP, allergen programs, kosher/organic certifications, and other applicable standards.
- Data, Metrics & Risk Management
- Monitor, analyze, and trend quality and food safety performance metrics to ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory, certification, and customer expectations.
- Identify performance trends, recurring issues, and emerging risks through data analysis and risk-based thinking.
- Develop and present clear dashboards, reports, and summaries to plant leadership and corporate stakeholders to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Sanitation, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and R&D to investigate quality issues and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
- Support new equipment installations, system tie-ins, process changes, and product launches by ensuring food safety and quality risks are assessed, controlled, and validated.
- Training, Documentation & System Governance
- Ensure required training programs are established and maintained for quality testing, inspections, monitoring activities, and recordkeeping under the FSQMS.
- Own document control systems, ensuring procedures, work instructions, specifications, and records meet SQF and regulatory requirements.
- Review, revise, and update local policies and procedures as needed, including the development, execution, and maintenance of validation and verification protocols.
- Oversee quality data collection systems and ensure data integrity, accuracy, and traceability.
- Additional Responsibilities
- Perform additional duties as assigned by management to support plant quality, food safety, and business objectives.
Required Skills and Competencies:- Strong working knowledge of SQF, FSMA Preventive Controls, HACCP, FDA regulations, and beverage manufacturing processes.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and enterprise systems such as SAP.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data, solve complex problems, and drive results through structured root cause analysis.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, adaptable, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Education and Experience:- BS Degree in Food Science or Engineering preferred.
- Minimum 5 years of Quality within a manufacturing environment
- Experience in the implementation and maintaining of Quality System Software
- Experience in the implementation and maintaining SQF or other global quality systems in high speed manufacturing
- Leadership: Builds trust-based relationships, leads with accountability and courage, and fosters a culture of food safety, quality ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Communication: Communicates clearly and effectively with all levels of the organization, regulatory agencies, and auditors.
Working Conditions:- Physical Demands- Continuously standing or walking. Regular requirements to lift/handle/carry material or equipment of moderate weight.
- Visual/Sensory - This position requires attention to detail, requiring attention with one or two senses at a time.
- Work environment - Work and environment fasted paced, requiring ability to remain focused under pressure.
- Climate: This position requires the incumbent to have the ability to work in ambient hot and/or cold seasonal environments.
Travel Requirements:Other Duties:- This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
