Quality Operations Lead

At Glanbia, our portfolio centers on dairy and non-dairy nutritional ingredients. We co-innovate and deliver ingredient solutions and precision premixes for use in the mainstream food and beverage, infant and clinical, and functional nutrition markets. We are the number one provider of whey-based nutritional ingredients globally and the number one producer of American-style cheddar cheese. Our protein systems have transformed the bar and beverage categories — bringing increased levels of protein, cleaner labels and greater product functionality to market. We have a direct presence in 21 countries, with manufacturing facilities in the US, Germany and China, and international sales and technical offices around the world.

JOB SUMMARY
The Quality Assurance Supervisor is responsible for leading the Production Quality Assurance team and for maintenance of Quality Systems at the Carlsbad facility. The QA Supervisor will operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and is expected to manage multiple tasks on a tight timeline to meet customer requests.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
• Supervisory responsibility for the Quality Assurance Technicians to develop individuals as members of a high performing team.
• Maintain current programs and lead initiatives to continually improve Quality Systems, including: internal audit program, change control, document control, CAPA, and other quality systems as appropriate.
• Assure the timely reporting of quality metrics (process capability, control charts, measurement quality) for monitoring system effectiveness and for enabling sound product quality decisions.
• Lead internal and external quality audits.
• Prepare and review initial responses to internal and external audits. Coordinate with all departments to develop action plans and timelines for audit corrective actions.
• Perform root-cause analysis and other problem solving activities to identify effective corrective action and process improvements.
• Review and trend statistical data to evaluate the effectiveness of established quality systems.
• Review customer product specifications to evaluate applicable Quality requirements and responsibilities.
• Interact with customers to identify opportunities to improve quality and establish feedback with manufacturing and development personnel.
• Report to management on quality issues, trends and losses.
• Interface with suppliers and customer quality representatives when quality issues arise, to ensure that effective correction actions are implemented.
• Manage quality complaints from initial information gathering, through the investigation, to providing resolution to customer including a formal response and root cause analysis.
• Maintain the CAPA program ensuring CARs are closed out in a timely manner and corrective actions are implemented and effective to address issues.
• Review and approve deviations for any production related issues.
• Create and revise technical documents including Standard Operating Procedures, Specifications, MSDS, Allergen statements, GMO Statements, Irradiation/ETO statements, etc.
• Regular attendance is an essential function of this position.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS
• Perform other duties as assigned
• When the employee(s) filling this position is absent from their job, their immediate supervisor/manager (as identified in the “Reports To” section of this job description) is responsible for assigning the qualified employee(s) to perform the essential functions and responsibilities listed in this job description. The qualified employee(s) must have been successfully trained on the assigned temporary duties.
• Expected to lead the Quality Assurance Technicians and fill in any gaps in coverage, as needed.
• May be expected to lead other team members and/or to represent the department in cross-functional meetings to resolve quality, technical, and service related issues

QUALIFICATIONS
• BS / BA in Manufacturing Engineering, Food Science, or Biological Sciences or significant experience in a QA role to compensate for non-technical degree.
 2+ years of experience in QA systems implementation with at least 1 years in a Quality role in a food manufacturing environment, preferably in the dietary/nutritional supplement or pharmaceutical industry.
• Previous supervisory experience is preferred.
• Ability to work from written and verbal instructions.
• Must be able to follow written SOP’s/work instructions.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision while remaining productive at all times.
• Ability to stay positive and calm in difficult and/or trying circumstances.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Must be able to work in a team environment and possess team-based problem solving skills.
• Must be results focused and oriented toward accomplishment of team and organizational goals.
• Must be able to work flexible hours to include daily overtime and some weekends, when needed.
• Ability to effectively interact with all levels of personnel with the utmost professionalism.
• Must be an analytical thinker who uses sound judgment in decision-making.
• Ability to handle multiple, rapidly changing and conflicting priorities.
• Diverse knowledge of inspection and control methods, techniques and documentation.
• Must have experience with application of FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices with a proven track record of business performance improvement.
• Must have experience designing and implementing quality systems. Broad knowledge of theory and principles of statistics and statistical process control.
• Extensive working knowledge of HACCP.
• Thorough understanding of general safety requirements.
• Training/experience in foreign object damage awareness
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office as well as quality control applications, word processing, spreadsheets and databases.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical Demands
The physical demands described represent those that must be met by an employee and the work environment characteristics are 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.
• Regularly involves talking or listening, sitting, and the use of hands and fingers.
• Regularly involves going up and down stairs.
• Frequently involves reaching with hands and arms, standing and walking.
• Occasionally involves crouching, stooping, kneeling and/or climbing or balancing.

Physical Requirements
• Must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to reach/handle items, works with the fingers, and perceives attributes of objects and materials.
• Involves moderate physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of a primarily administrative nature.
• Should be able to identify and distinguish colors, see clearly at 20 inches or closer and 20 feet or more, observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point, judge distances and spatial relationships, and adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus.

TYPICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
• May be exposed to moderate noise levels (i.e. office equipment, light traffic).
• May be exposed to moderate to high noise levels (i.e. production equipment, forklifts, heavy traffic).
• May be exposed to humidity, intense heat and cold, outdoor weather conditions, and fumes and toxic chemicals.
• May work in areas with mechanical moving parts, above ground with risk of fall, or areas with risk of electrical shock.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
• Periodic domestic travel, with some international travel required (~10%)

DISCLAIMER

Must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing significant safety threat to self or others. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.