Dir Quality Assurance

Company: Ventura Coastal, LLC
Location: Visalia
Posted on: March 13, 2023

Job Description:

Job SummaryThis is a salaried role $110,000-$140,000 and an attractive bonusLead the Ventura Coastal to place as the leading supplier and customer choice for NFC juice, concentrate and oil products. Develop clear goals and initiatives for food safety, quality assurance and industry compliance. Lead and manage the Ventura Coastal food safety and quality assurance programs serving as the liaison with customers regarding all product safety and quality related issues. Oversee all activities to support plant food safety and compliance audits. Manage and ensure compliance with domestic and international food safety laws and regulations. Develop policies and establish audit programs to ensure GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) compliance. Coordinate specification system for both customers and suppliers. Provide guidance to customers on their product development, specification determination and questionnaires. Primary interface for all QA related questions and requests from customers.What you will do in the role

• Responsible for CCP #1 (Pasteurization) review of documentation and a secondary check on compliance with critical limits.
• Responsible for CCP #2 (Filtration) review of documentation.
• Responsible for CCP #3 (Tanker Inspection) review of documentation and a secondary check on compliance with JPA guidelines.
• Responsible for CCP #4 (Packaging) review of documentation.
• Lead strategic initiative to place Ventura Coastal at the cutting edge of Citrus Quality
• Maintain and continuously improve the quality management system within the company to consistently deliver our customers safe product of the highest quality standards.
• Assess sustainability efforts through audit, evaluation, developing and reporting appropriate metrics; work with all stakeholders to identify gaps and implement solutions.
• Develop and mentor the quality management team to excel in professionalism, agility, accuracy, and focused skills to help grow the business.
• Establish Ventura Coastal food safety and quality standards, documentation, etc., to be openly shared with our customer base. Have product testing information available to customers on the web creating a proactive, progressive and forward looking Ventura Coastal food safety and quality assurance program.
• Establish and maintain raw material testing program to gather data with respect to pesticide testing, compliance verification, etc. Ensure growers and packing houses are safety compliant on all raw materials provided to Ventura Coastal. Conduct supplier audits.
• Analyze food safety and quality data on finished product and ingredients to develop and initiate any corrective action needed.
• Develop, execute and manage company policies and assign responsibilities for implementation of food safety and quality initiatives and ensure compliance with all new regulations.
• Monitor the following to ensure that the processing facilities output does not impact product quality or customer satisfaction and or specifications:
• Conduct annual food safety assessments of processing facilities.
• Review daily/weekly microbiological and other Q.A. analytical reports.
• Stay current on production output that affects product specifications, quality, yields, etc.,
• Establish and monitor monthly quality score card.
• Audit the HACCP Plan and make recommendations for improvement.
• Audits and verifies compliance of SOPs and SSOPs to all food safety regulations.
• Perform periodic audits of quality documentation to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Develops supportive relationship with plant leadership team, suppliers and regulatory auditors to ensure product safety initiatives are implemented throughout the company.
• Ensure that existing or developed processes comply with customer requirements and support the SQF initiative.
• Provide technical support as needed to other departments within the company.
• Provide guidance to operations to ensure appropriate controls used in manufacturing and transporting of all products
• Management of all customer quality complaints.
• Manage salaried QA personnel
• Manage all interfaces with auditors.
• Initiate mock recalls to all plants and monitor compliance.
• Utilize the MRP program, Citros, which houses all the production and quality data for the company; pull reports and gain knowledge from evaluating the data.
• Fill out and respond back to Customers regarding their inquiries and requests for documentation
• Investigate Customer complaints, document and follow up with corrective actions.
• Work as member of Production Management to drive changes throughout the organization in regards to ever more superior quality
• Travel to customer facilities to understand product requirements and specifications, quality assurance standards and for problem resolution.
• Maintain a strong Quality receiving program to include COA's, testing, Hold/Release
• Manage any regulatory agency such as FDA, Tulare County Public Health or State agency with regards to food safety, waste water.
• Drive consistent and reliable results throughout the quality organization
• Utilize Statistical Process Control methods of looking at data to drive improvement
• Demonstrate reliable attendance, consistent punctuality and a positive attitude at all times.
• Act professionally towards customers, visitors, vendors and co-workers.
• Act as the company's SQF practitioner in the absence of the designated SQF practitioner.
• Perform other duties as required and assigned.The Experience you will bring to the role
  • Bachelors degree in food science, chemistry or microbiology.
  • Minimum of 10 years experience managing food quality assurance; preferably in the juice, dairy or beverage industry.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Products: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint is a requirement.
  • Possess a strong knowledge and understanding of Quality Systems.
  • Strong food safety expertise.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Self-motivated; self-starter; able to work independently with minimal supervision.
  • Must possess strong analytical ability to be able to work with Q.A. analytical results
  • Must be very accurate and detail oriented.
  • The ability to organize ones thoughts, plans and proposals in both oral and written communications is required.
  • Able to interface effectively with employees at all levels of the organization.
  • Must work well with others as part of a team
  • Works effectively under pressure.
  • Must be highly dependable.
  • Must be proactive and customer service oriented.
  • Performs multiple tasks simultaneously. Committed to frequent deadlines.
  • Works independently and displays sense of urgency.
  • Must solve complex problems.
  • Possesses long-term and short-term planning skills as well as good organizational skills.
  • Ability to travel.
  • Successful results in this position are dependent on team involvement.The Physical Requirements of the Role
    • The ability to meet flexible and changing priorities and the ability to work under pressure is a must. Available on a 24*7 basis as necessary to deal with any related issues.
    • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee is not exposed to weather conditions and noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
    • Travel between Tipton and Visalia may be required approximately 20% of the time.

Keywords: Ventura Coastal, LLC, Visalia , Dir Quality Assurance, Other , Visalia, California