Quality Assurance Assistant Manager - Nights

Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives, that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet.

We started off with a mission to change the way pet parents feed dogs and cats, but we also wanted to be a company that had a thoughtful approach to how we operate. We wanted to do things differently, make great products but be gentle to the planet, good to the people who touch our business, and leave a positive impact with everything we do. We work hard every day to ensure that the original vision is met, starting with making the highest quality foods in our kitchens to running our business with integrity, transparency, and social and environmental responsibility. IT'S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

What You Will Do

As a Quality Assurance Assistant Manager, you will work with plant management and other staff to maximize product quality and productivity for the Night shift production.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Providing direction, coaching, and training for all quality team members and ensuring they work safely.

• Supporting implementation, review and maintenance of the Freshpet SQF Food Safety, Preventive Controls, and Quality System.

• Driving continuous improvement culture of the SQF, Food Safety, and Quality systems.

• Ensuring the safety and quality of incoming raw materials as well and outgoing finished products.

• Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of all products manufactured by the plant as well as the raw materials, packaging materials, and operations required in the manufacturing process including quality specifications and standards.

• Leading Quality engagement related to daily sanitation activities and pre-operational inspections, working closely with Operations and Sanitation management to foster a team environment.

• Collaborating with plant management team to execute plans for continuous improvement and industry best practices, with specific focus on sanitary design.

• Participating in changes and updates to Food Safety fundamentals and Food Safety plans that have an impact on Freshpet's ability to deliver safe food for pets.

• Managing prerequisite programs necessary to maintain the Food Safety and Quality Programs and Preventative Controls.

• Responsibility for maintaining the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Preventive Controls (PC) plans for all products manufactured at Freshpet plants.

• Supporting Non-Conforming product programs by conducting product reviews and investigation guidance for nightshift team.

• Actively participating in problem solving activities and root cause analysis of food safety or quality issues with broader team including operations, maintenance, R&D, and engineering.

• Assisting with customer complaint analysis and reacting to emerging issues or trends; engaging the appropriate functions to work to resolution. Participating in foreign material evaluations and corrective action programs.

What You Will Bring

• 5+ year's minimum experience working under Food Safety/Quality Systems, preferably in Ready to Eat (RTE) food or pet food.

• 3+ year's minimum food or beverage Supervision or Management experience.

• Must be SQF practitioner or receive certification within three months in position.

• Must be HACCP/Preventive Controls certified or receive certification within three months in position.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Training:

• Knowledge of food safety and quality system requirements for the food industry

• Knowledge of FDA standards and FSMA Regulations

• Basic understanding of Federal and State pet food regulatory requirements

• Strong decision making and problem-solving skillset

• Familiar with food microbiology and chemistry

• Demonstrated knowledge and application of statistical process control, quality assurance techniques and tools and quality management principles in a food manufacturing environment

• Lead 'best in class' behaviors with focus on food safety, quality assurance, and plant regulatory compliance

• Experience with full washdown/wet sanitation practices

• Knowledge of sanitary design principles

• Basic knowledge of food processing including heat penetration

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both orally and written

• Sound ethics

• Passion for team development and management

Work Environment and Time Requirements:

• Must be capable of working in production areas under hot humid and/or refrigerated conditions

• Lift and perform physical labor during plant tests or product start-ups

• Work extended hours or weekends to support team activity, tasks, or special projects

• Occasional travel, less than 10%

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Animal Science or related field (Chemistry, Microbiology, Engineering, etc.) preferred

What We Offer

At Freshpet, we offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, basic and optional life insurance, short- and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts, and a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, pet insurance, tuition assistance, a generous PTO plan and so much more!

Our Commitment to a Diverse Workforce

At Freshpet, we embrace and encourage our employees' differences in age, sex, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Freshpet aims to foster, cultivate and preserve a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our employees are our most valuable assets. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and company's achievement as well. Freshpet is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Disclaimers

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas.

Freshpet is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Freshpet via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Freshpet. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Freshpet as a result of the referral or through other means.