Job Description

What IF you started your career with a company set on excellence through building relationships and delivering results? Joining Innovation Foods is just that! A career here means you are joining a rapidly growing organization, known for its community outreach, diversity, inclusivity, and premier production facilities.

In addition to being a great place to work, Innovation Foods strives to offer its employees a holistic career experience that incorporates learning and development, wellness, and exceptional benefits.

Our benefits include:

• Competitive Pay Rates 
• Medical, dental, vision and prescription plans with wellness incentives 
• Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account (on applicable plans) 
• 401k Plan – with a company match 
• Company funded Long-Term and Short-Term Disability 
• Company funded Life Insurance Policy 
• Paid Vacation and Sick Days 

Job Description – Director of Quality

Location: Millville, NJ

Shift: 1st Shift Flexible

Reports to: General Manager

Job Summary:

The Director of Quality at Innovation Foods, reporting to the General Manager, is tasked with leading all Food Safety, Regulatory, Sanitation, and Product Quality activities. The Director of Quality works closely with the Plant Director and leadership team to improve Quality & Food Safety systems in response to organizational performance, changing regulations, and customer demands.

Responsibilities include managing daily compliance with food safety regulations, overseeing lab and sanitation programs, leading audit preparation & food safety initiatives, monitoring plant programs, and ensuring the daily implementation of food safety standards.

The role requires extensive experience in food safety and quality functions, with specific expertise in aseptic processing, regulatory compliance, and statistical process control.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Direct reports include exempt and non-exempt employees

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Hands on management of the quality department ensuring daily production compliance of food safety regulations, HACCP plans, and site SOPs.
• Oversees the sanitation and housekeeping programs for the organization
• Maintain, coach, and develop a quality team with high standards and attention to detail.
• Act as plant SQF Practitioner.
• Champion a culture of excellence with emphasis on food safety, curiosity, and integrity.
• Build a team first mentality focused on details, preventive risk mitigation and predictive analytics.
• Drive Quality & Food Safety Initiatives using a hands-on approach rooted in communication and education.
• Lead plant environmental monitoring programs and verify that their corrective actions and hygiene/sanitation programs are robust and mitigate risk.
• Monitor, report, and improve quality & food safety performance in plants and warehouses in the respective area of responsibility.
• Develop and ensure implementation of food safety and monitoring programs to meet customer, internal and regulatory standards.
• Oversee and monitor all quality programs (FSMA, HACCP, SQF, GMP, Positive Release, Pest Control, sanitation, in-line sampling, allergens, gluten-free and others)
• Review and maintain all quality control test results. Evaluate analytical testing results and disposition of finished product to ensure customer specifications are met.
• Oversee Quality Assurance systems to satisfy internal and customer requirements to include process evaluation and product protection programs; process specifications and standards; sanitation programs, HACCP and GMP programs; production labeling; and product storage and distribution.
• Oversee and make decisions related to ESL/Aseptic production and packaging.
• Oversee quality control systems including hold and release programs, traceability exercises, and lab procedures.
• Oversee and maintain food safety programs; product functionality evaluations; process verification programs; internal and external audits, and environmental microbiological monitoring programs.
• Investigate, track, and respond to customer complaints, determining root cause and develop corrective actions.
• Provide technical support to plant management, service groups and sales, regarding process/product improvement through analysis of product composition, quality, and function ability.
• Develop and monitor standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to the QA function and product quality.
• Update weekly reports on product quality, environmental results, and incident activities.
• Conduct at a minimum annually, various training related to quality and food safety
• Conduct Plant Audits as scheduled and ensure follow-up to identified issues.
• Ensure certification of the lab by maintaining proper documentation for all internal and government requirements.
• Act as a liaison for regulatory compliance agencies (USDA, FDA, Kosher, Halal, and others)
• Coach and counsel employees when appropriate in accordance with IF policies and work rules.
• Assume an active role in the plant Safety Programs to include involvement in the plant safety teams/committees.
• Communicate and interact effectively with lab personnel, all departments, sister plants and all levels of operation.
• Perform miscellaneous duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.
• Reports directly to General Manager.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Must have practical experience in developing and implementing HAACP plans and/or Food Safety & Quality plans.
• Deep technical knowledge of aseptic processing and packaging industry.
• Must have hands on working knowledge and thorough understanding of thermal processing including time/temperature relationships and associated microbiology.
• Must have experience with filing FDA Scheduled Processes and prior experience with process authorities and plant commissioning.
• Must have considerable experience and understanding of statistics and the application of statistical process control in a food manufacturing environment.
• Must have experience in verification and validation activities.
• Microbiology and sanitation background.
• Understands GMP requirements in supply chain operations.
• Deep regulatory knowledge within the US and Canada.
• Computer literate in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor of Science in Food Science or Chemical Engineering or related field preferred
• Min of 10 years of food, aseptic beverage, ESL beverage, dairy experience.
• 10 years of experience in quality, food safety-related functions.
• Certifications – HACCP, SQF-internal auditing, Better Process Control school, FSPCA Preventative Controls for Human Food

Desired Qualities: 

• Collaborator  - able to work with other members of the processing team 
• Adaptive  - adjusts to changing priorities and conditions 
• Motivated  - self-starter with the ability to work in a team and independently to achieve team objectives 
• Safety conscious  - abide by all safety measures put in place at Innovation Foods 
• Customer focused  - understands the need for the highest standard of food quality in production

Innovation Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact JoinUs@innovation-foods.com for assistance.

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