Quality Continuous Improvement Manager - #225067

Are you ready for a tasty challenge? Summary

The Quality Continuous Improvement Manager plays a pivotal role on the bakery leadership team, collaborating closely with all functional departments to lead quality initiatives and support daily operations in delivering products of the highest quality while maintaining the utmost adherence to food safety programs. As the Food Safety and Quality subject matter expert, this role ensures compliance with regulatory standards and conducts regular training to empower employees to uphold exceptional food safety and quality practices. Additionally, the manager serves as the HACCP Team Leader, driving comprehensive hazard analyses, developing and maintaining HACCP plans, and overseeing verification and validation activities to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.

This role reports directly to the VP, Business Transformation and dotted line the Bakery Manager, fostering strong collaboration with key stakeholders across various departments, including Business Transformation, R&D, Sanitation, Engineering, and Maintenance, to ensure seamless integration of quality and operational initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities

• Leadership and Development: Leads and mentors on-shift Quality professionals, ensuring 24/7 support and oversight for bakery quality and food safety initiatives.
• Collaboration: Serves as a key member of the bakery leadership team, working closely with departments such as R&D, Sanitation, Engineering, and Maintenance to drive initiatives and ensure smooth daily operations. Subject Matter Expertise: Acts as the Food Safety and Quality expert, providing guidance and overseeing regular training programs for bakery employees to uphold high-quality standards.
• HACCP Leadership: Functions as the HACCP Team Leader, directing hazard analyses, developing and maintaining HACCP plans, and performing regular verification and validation activities to ensure compliance.
• Record Management: Reviews and verifies quality and food safety records, including Critical Control Points (CCPs), addressing any issues promptly and maintaining accurate documentation. Serves as the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI).
• Inspection and Auditing: Plans and conduct daily inspections, monthly self-inspections, and internal audits. Enforces Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), facilitates root cause analysis, and drives corrective and preventive actions.
• Environmental Monitoring: Oversees the environmental program, including swabbing equipment, drains, and floors, submitting samples for lab analysis, and addressing out-ofspecification results with corrective actions.
• Process Verification: Performs online process checks and CCP verifications, ensuring prompt follow-up on any deviations.
• Product Quality Oversight: Organizes and conducts quality and food safety checks for finished products, providing immediate feedback to production teams and managing product disposition when specifications are not met.
• Traceability and Recall Management: Assesses the traceability program by verifying ingredient lot numbers and participates in mock recalls to ensure system readiness.
• Allergen Control: Ensures the effectiveness of the allergen control program to prevent cross-contamination risks.
• Complaint and Supplier Management: Supports investigations into consumer and customer complaints and assists in supplier management programs to maintain quality standards.
• Equipment Calibration: Verifies the accuracy of measuring devices such as thermometers and scales to ensure consistency in processes.
• Audit Preparedness: Assists in preparing for and conducting various assessments, inspections, and audits, including BRC, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Customer and R&D Collaboration: Works with customers and the R&D team to develop and finalize product specifications.
• Audit Leadership: Prepares documentation and leads organizational efforts during audits, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Pest Control: Oversees third-party pest control programs to maintain a hygienic production environment.
• Prerequisite Programs: Manages hygiene practices, cleaning, and sanitation programs to ensure adherence to quality standards.
• Leadership Backup: Assists in covering Bakery Leadership positions during vacations to ensure continuity of operations.
• Resource Management: Manages supplies required for quality testing to support efficient and accurate assessments.
  
  
  

Required Experience

• Education: Postgraduate degree in a relevant field, such as Food Science.
• Experience: 5+ years of QA experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of GFSI standards (preferably BRC), HACCP, Preventive Controls, and Quality Systems; proficiency in Microsoft Office, with SAP preferred.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Proven interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate across all levels of the organization, from production floor team members to management.
• Communication Skills: Excellent oral and written English skills, with the ability to clearly and accurately document findings and data.
• Work Environment Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to multitask, stay organized, and thrive in a fast-paced production environment.
• Analytical & Organizational Skills: Strong analytical and organizational capabilities.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work flexible hours and shifts, including afternoons, nights, and weekends.
  
  
  

FGF Group Competencies:

Adaptive Intelligence -Team Members respond effectively to challenges by evolving their skills, mindset, and approach.

• Flexibility, Agility, Adaptability: Thrives in dynamic environments by embracing continuous change. Quickly adjusts to new priorities and actively seeks innovative solutions. Uses setbacks as opportunities for growth
• and applies a relentless focus on improving outcomes. Approaches challenges with a proactive, solutions driven mindset and openness to feedback.
• Calculated Risk-Taking: Makes strategic decisions by evaluating options and creating contingency plans.
  
  
  

Collaborative Intelligence -Collaborative intelligence empowers teams to unlock collective strengths and achieve results through synergy and mutual trust.

• Team First and Collaboration: Engages with Team Members and colleagues, builds relationships, and fosters an inclusive, innovative environment.
  
  
  

Entrepreneurial Intelligence -Equips Team Members to identify opportunities, overcome setbacks, and move ideas to execution effectively.

• Continuous Improvement: Drives innovation and optimizes processes to enhance quality and productivity.
• Customer and Product Focus: Addresses need proactively with accountability and a solution-oriented mindset.
• Fierce Execution: Achieves results with a strategic and hands-on approach, learning from mistakes and building trust.
  
  
  

Leadership Competencies

Inspire & Energize Team Members

• Continually inspires and develops Team Members and promote cross-functional collaboration.
• Supports, shared knowledge and experience with your Team through authentic conversations and development planning
• Communicates clear expectations
• Uses insight and knowledge to influence others
• Understands and acknowledge differences and modifies style to support unleashing potential
• Demonstrates patience and empathy, while listeningto Create Winning Relationships
• Inspire enthusiasm & commitment by communicating a clear path to success
• Empowers others by delegating and providing support and opportunities for growth
• Identifies, raises and resolves conflict
• Builds trust and models the “Coach Approach”Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Encourages informed risk-taking and supports learning from outcomes.
• Creates an environment where your team enjoys working hard while having fun Provides feedback to reinforce results
  
  
  

Disclaimer:The above describes the general responsibilities, required knowledge and skills. Please keep in mind that other duties may be added, or this description may be amended at any time.