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Summary:

Our award-winning client is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager to join their team. As the Quality Assurance Manager for a leading multibillion-dollar food manufacturer in Indianapolis, IN, you will be a critical member of the plant leadership team.

You will champion food safety and quality across all operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, driving continuous improvement, and leading a dedicated QA team. This high-visibility role offers significant growth potential and the opportunity to impact iconic brands.

Responsibilities:

• Food Safety & Quality Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to all internal quality policies, customer specifications, and federal/state food safety regulations throughout daily plant operations.
• Audit & Certification Leadership: Spearhead the plant's HACCP, SQF, and FSMA programs, acting as the primary point of contact for all regulatory and third-party audits and inspections.
• Team Leadership & Development: Effectively manage, mentor, and develop a team of QA professionals, fostering a culture of ownership and accountability for Food Safety & Quality at all levels.
• Training & Onboarding: Develop and implement robust onboarding and ongoing training programs on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Food Safety, and Quality standards for all plant personnel.
• Continuous Improvement & Performance: Drive and track progress on key quality performance indicators (KPIs) such as complaint reduction, audit readiness, and the prevention of quality incidents. Lead the Food Safety & Quality pillar within the plant's continuous improvement systems.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with Operations, Maintenance, R&D, and Sales teams to ensure production quality, resolve customer quality concerns, and support the successful launch of new products.
• Vendor Quality Management: Collaborate with the Corporate Quality Assurance team to monitor and address supplier performance, implementing effective corrective actions as needed.
• Documentation & Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive plant and laboratory SOPs. Manage the departmental budget effectively.
• Sanitation & Environmental Control: Ensure the implementation and effectiveness of strong sanitation, pest control, and environmental monitoring programs within the plant.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Biology, or a related scientific field.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance within the Food or Pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and developing teams.
• Comprehensive understanding of HACCP principles, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Safe Quality Food (SQF) Code, Food Allergens, Microbiology, and root cause analysis methodologies.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies and their application in a manufacturing environment.