Quality Assurance Manager
1 day ago
Washington
Summary: The QA Manager works closely with the Director of Food Safety & Product Development to directly oversee the activity of the QA department and monitor food safety as well as monitoring the quality practices of 300 production associates. The QA Manager will staff and maintain a food safety team focused on product safety, quality and reliability for Frick’s products and processes. Salary Information: Annual Salary: $100,000.00 Commensurate with experience. Essential Functions: Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance • Ensure all HACCP, GMPs, sanitation preventive controls, supply chain preventive controls, and all other prerequisite food safety standards are met and routinely updated according to USDA and company requirements., • Work with USDA inspectors on a daily basis to meet all regulatory requirements., • Responsible for on-going maintenance of the Food Safety and Crisis Management Plan. Must be able to identify deficiencies and implement new strategies., • Oversee pre-operative sanitation review function to ensure monitoring, corrections, and verification., • Oversight of pathogen environmental monitoring program., • Lead/oversee all food safety and product audits conducted by USDA, third-party agencies (GFSI), and customers., • Ensure complete traceability of incoming raw materials and finished product while managing lot code tracking and written recall program., • Collecting and shipping samples for sales department. Quality Assurance & Control • Lead the development and execution of food safety and quality programs to support the organization’s goals., • Implement and maintain quality checks & product records in Red Zone software., • Maintain detailed records of product quality checks, process controls, procedures, internal audits, etc. for regulatory and audit compliance., • Ensure all QA checks are correctly completed and all non-compliances found have had the correct action taken and signed off., • Track and manage product returns and hold processes., • Review & track customer and consumer feedback. Respond to consumer safety and quality concerns., • Identify and analyze issues, defects, and other opportunities; recommend and facilitate solutions. Team Leadership & Communication • Responsible for the leadership, training/development, and motivation of QA Team., • Communicate quality standards and parameters to suppliers, QA staff, production associates, and other appropriate staff., • Actively and cooperatively participates in team collaboration efforts to improve common workflows, procedures, and tasks to increase efficiency and assure stakeholder satisfaction., • Collaborate with production, procurement, and R&D teams to ensure quality of raw materials, work-in-process (WIP), and finished products. Raw Materials & Product Management • Oversee incoming raw material (raw meat) audits and documentation. Document Control & Training • Maintain document control system for all QA-related SOPs, records, forms, and procedures., • Oversee employee training programs on food safety and quality procedures, including refresher training and onboarding. Risk Management / Crisis Simulation • Coordinate mock recalls, crisis simulations, and incident reviews to ensure preparedness., • Maintain updated risk assessments (biological, chemical, physical hazards) for all production processes. Competencies • Detail oriented with excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment., • Display strong organizational skills and attention to detail with strong problem-solving skills., • A general understanding of yields, overpacks, labor costs, waste control, efficiencies, inventory control, and worker safety. Technical Expertise in Food Safety & Quality Systems • Deep understanding of food safety regulations (USDA, HACCP, GMPs, FSMA, GFSI standards)., • Proficient in quality assurance methodologies including SPC, internal audits, environmental monitoring, and sanitation validation., • Experience with traceability, recall programs, and preventive controls. Leadership & People Development • Strong team leadership and coaching skills, including performance management and employee development., • Ability to build a high-performing team and foster accountability., • Inspires a culture of food safety, quality, and continuous improvement. Communication & Cross-Functional Collaboration • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interacting with USDA officials, internal departments, suppliers, and customers., • Ability to translate technical information into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders., • Skilled in collaboration with production, procurement, R&D, and customer service. Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis • Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to identify and resolve quality and safety issues., • Proficiency in root cause analysis (RCA) and implementing corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs)., • Drives data-informed decision making., • Supports: Incident management, non-compliance resolution, defect identification, continuous improvement. Regulatory & Audit Preparedness • Skilled in preparing for and leading third-party, customer, and government audits., • Maintains audit-ready documentation and corrects gaps proactively., • Understands audit protocols, scoring systems, and best practices. Systems Thinking & Process Management • Ability to manage complex processes, workflows, and documentation systems (e.g., Red Zone, ROSS systems)., • Thinks strategically about systems integration and process improvements., • Drives efficiency while maintaining quality standards. Data Analysis & KPI Management • Comfortable using metrics and data dashboards to monitor performance (e.g., quality scores, consumer complaints, returns)., • Understands how to use KPIs to drive decisions and report to leadership., • Identifies trends and leverages them to improve performance. Risk Management & Crisis Readiness • Ability to assess potential food safety risks and build mitigation plans., • Leads mock recalls, crisis simulations, and real-time issue responses., • Stays calm under pressure and provides structured responses to emergencies. Project Management • Manages multiple initiatives with competing deadlines., • Able to lead cross-functional projects such as system upgrades, product launches, or process changes., • Organized, resourceful, and results-driven. Continuous Improvement Mindset • Encourages innovation and drives change without compromising safety or quality., • Champions Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement tools., • Open to feedback and promotes a learning culture. Supervisory Responsibilities The QA Manager is responsible for the direct supervision, development, and evaluation of the QA Team. Position Type and Expected Hours of Work The QA Manager is a full-time position located on-site at our Washington, Missouri, location. Expected hours of work are generally from 7:00AM-4:00PM, Monday-Friday and as needed to meet customer demand, which may include extended days and weekend hours. Travel Travel is not regularly expected but may occasionally happen. Employees are reimbursed for pre-approved company expenses and gas in their personal vehicle. Education and Experience • B.S. degree in food technology, food/meat/animal science, food safety or equivalent experience preferred., • Minimum of three years of experience in Food Safety Quality Assurance (FSQA) field or related field required with supervisory experience., • HACCP certified or HACCP specific training., • Through knowledge of food safety including USDA regulations, sanitation SOPs, equipment sanitary design, GMPs and GFSI auditing standard., • Experience with tracking and trending data analysis., • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software. Work Environment and Physical Demands • This position is based between an office and cold manufacturing environment, with up to 50% of the daily activities taking place in the production areas. Production area temperatures range from 28-45 degrees Fahrenheit, employees are exposed to loud noises., • Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods of time throughout the facility., • Must be able to occasionally lift, carry, or move up to 60 pounds., • Ability to bend, reach, climb stairs, and perform inspections in production and storage areas., • Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, hairnets, or lab coats as needed., • Visual acuity to read documents, computer screens, and inspection instruments; ability to detect visual quality defects., • Hearing ability sufficient to detect alarms, communicate effectively, and work in a production environment with moderate noise levels., • May require standing or walking on hard surfaces for up to 8–10 hours per shift when performing audits or inspections., • Ability to travel between multiple facilities or to supplier sites as needed. Disclaimer 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. Equal Employer Opportunity Statement Frick’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
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