Quality Assurance Manager

FreshRealm - CONNECTING THROUGH MEALS

At FreshRealm we aspire to be THE fresh meal company. Fresh meals are our focus, and we are passionate about revolutionizing this rapidly growing category. 

FreshRealm develops, sources, commercializes and assembles fresh meals. Fresh meals, including meal kits, ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook offerings are 100% our focus. We partner with leading Grocery, Convenience and Omni channel retailers to deliver the very best meals to their customers. Our success is measured by the success of our retail partners. Service, quality and consistency are our obsession, and we take pride in every meal that our customers place on their shelves.

At FreshRealm meals are more than a source of nutrition, they are our passion. Meals are the heart of a timeless ritual of sitting down to connect with family, friends, and ourselves. We are proud to play a small part in the ritual of “connecting us through meals”.

If you are a leader looking to build the future of fresh meals,  you are growth minded and thrive in an entrepreneurial environment, or you are excited to work with the country’s largest retailers, go to market with the best in product quality and work with industry leaders that care for each other and their communities, FreshRealm is the perfect fit for you.

Overview

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for in-plant process controls to ensure compliance with Company Quality and Safety policy and regulatory standards to ensure food safety and safe production standards are adhered to. Manages and directs a fast paced QA department within a facility.  Ensure maximum efficiency while at all times maintaining the highest standards of quality, legislative and company specifications.  Provides training and motivation to team members, using recognition, positive feedback and other rewards with appropriate discretion in a continuous improvement environment.  Follows all health and safety standards and creates and enforces use of GMP’s and PPE’s.

Essential Job Responsibilities: 

• Oversee quality operations and equipment to ensure conformance to specifications and make or order necessary process or assembly adjustments
• Responsible for creating and modifying team member work schedules, adjusting schedules and grants time off, as is appropriate, to ensure effective communications at all levels and complete all necessary administrative work
• Actively resolves problems that team members raised to you. You will give positive feedback to help build their confidence and provide constructive criticism to develop their skills. Responsible for coaching and discipline of team members
• Conduct and ensure daily and general audits of QA operational activities are carried out. Ensure QA continues to deliver and drive the highest standards possible. Serves as key-point of contact during pre-operational checks day-to-day functions. Discuss inspection results with those responsible for products and recommend necessary corrective actions. Verify product quality and ensure product knowledge
• Ensure products are inspected, tested and measured for conformance to specifications
• Manage HACCP and GMP Program to ensure hygiene and good manufacturing practices (GMP) are being used. Provide technical support for cross functional team to ensure a high degree of compliance with company quality and safety policy
• Work closely with onsite USDA inspector
• Ensure that raw materials, packaging, labels and final products that do not meet acceptance criteria are rejected or retained
• Establish, maintain and promote good communications with all departments, levels of management and external representatives as required
• Offer mentoring, coaching and support to new QA team members, Associates, Team Leads, Supervisors and Plant Managers
• Responsible for verifying, collating and logging Key Performance Indicators (KPI) information and ensures quality panel and testing is conducted regularly
• Deal with staff and effectively manage the labor resource and control this to within the given budgets / targets for the required output issues of discipline, grievance and welfare within the guidelines laid out in the Company’s published policies and procedures. To maintain and not exceed departmental budgets
• Liaise with the Commercialization department on ‘product trials’ to ensure all appropriate people, IT equipment and materials are available and that the trial is run effectively and efficiently
• To be aware of and ensure that others are also aware of inspections, tours and visits and that all necessary preparation is carried out. Be the first point of contact for all external quality audits and Government / State agencies
• Responsible for the highest level of health and safety for the employees, agency employees and the consumer
• Required to report and to complete ‘Accident / Incident’ forms and conduct any necessary investigation, taking measures to prevent additional problems or re-occurrence
• Ensures proper training and re-training is conducted as needed

 Experience:

• Minimum 5 years experience in the food industry, with 3 years of experience in the Quality Assurance environment preferred
• Experience working in a food manufacturing environment applying common processes, procedures and equipment.  Experience managing in a chilled fresh food manufacturing business preferred

Education:

• Advanced education in Food Science, Food Safety or Culinary Arts is preferred
• A related degree or certificates in HACCP, Food Science, Food Handling, Culinary Arts or other related training or education is preferred