Quality Assurance Team Leader

SUMMARY Responsible for developing and coaching a staff of QA Technicians and handling the Plant's Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance programs. Ensure compliance with company and government procedures. Inspect, audit and validate all phases of quality performance (quality at the source, raw materials, production, packaging and distribution). ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following: Maintain and grow our Safety Culture assuring Food Safety and a safe work environment in alignment with our 5 Principles Comply with Food Safety Practices, maintain SQF certification through compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Quality Procedures, SQF requirements and good housekeeping. Plant should always be prepared for inspections or tours. Support the plant’s SQF certification program. Recognizing QA policies, procedures, and directives for development and compliance whilst providing feedback and follow up to ensure proper corrective action is achieved. Coaching and development of all QA Technicians so they can monitor and validate plant quality process and procedures. Focus on continual growth of our Quality at the Source program, ensuring that the program is effective, and the Processing and Packaging Team Members are preforming their own quality checks. Communicate information amongst departments by identifying and troubleshooting problems in the production process. Prepare necessary reports and provide regular feedback to keep management informed of business detail. Perform various duties under the direction of the Quality Assurance Department Manager. Ensures compliance with corporate standards and systems to monitor food safety, food safety culture, quality and facility cleanliness Commitment to safety begins with management. Managers and frontline supervisors are accountable for creating and maintaining a culture of Safety and assuring a safe work environment. Other duties as assigned. FOOD SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES Ensure all work is completed in a safe and sanitary manner. Follow all Ken’s Foods SQF, Food Defense and GMP policies. Report any suspicious activities anywhere in or around the plant. Assign and mentor team members to perform pre-start up inspections to ensure no product contamination risk exists and the area is in sanitary condition. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Directly oversee employees in the Quality Assurance Department. Carries out leadership responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; coaching and development of team; rewarding and disciplining employees; and addressing complaints and resolving obstacles. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. SKILLS AND ABILITIES Language Skills Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization. Mathematical Skills Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs. Reasoning Ability Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. ESSENTIAL MENTAL ALERTNESS REQUIREMENTS Work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner Ability to perform tasks involving high levels of cognitive function and judgment Not mentally or physically impaired from any cause that can adversely affect ability to safely and competently perform the duties of the position Ability to take prompt and appropriate response to operating conditions Ability to work in an unfatigued state Ability to accurately gauge lengths of time and distance Ability to quickly store and recall instructions in one’s short term memory Ability to concentrate Ability to cope with sudden changes in surrounding and/or emergency situations and/or alarms Demonstrated caring, committed and concerned attitude about safety WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. *M*