Regional QA Manager- Beverage

At Niagara, we're looking for Team Members who want to be part of achieving our mission to provide our customers the highest quality most affordable bottled water.

Consider applying here, if you want to:

• Work in an entrepreneurial and dynamic environment with a chance to make an impact.

• Develop lasting relationships with great people.

• Have the opportunity to build a satisfying career.

We offer competitive compensation and benefits packages for our Team Members.

Regional QA Manager- Beverage

This position is responsible for ensuring that all Niagara Bottling Product and Package Quality Standards are communicated to and uniformly followed by their designated and/or regional bottled water and beverage production locations. This position reports to the Director of Quality Assurance. While the plant Quality Assurance Managers within the assigned region report directly to their Plant Director, they report functionally to the Regional Quality Assurance Manager.

Essential Functions:

Team/ Process Accountability

• Provides necessary definition, development, and deployment of product/package quality assurance strategy by addressing all phases of product development from water quality and injection molding to the finished package.

• Aid in the development, publishing, and/or maintenance of all Niagara Bottling Quality Assurance procedures, policies, and standards in use at each designated production location.

• Coordinate the development and/or implementation of Niagara Quality Assurance SOPs, policies, and standards through the appropriate corporate personnel within Niagara Bottling.

• Ensure that all in-house Quality Assurance standard operating procedures (SOPs), policies, and standards are written and/or published with the intent of assuring that all finished products meet and/or exceed the product/packaging standards as set forth by Niagara Bottling, FDA, local state requirements, and the IBWA (bottled water only).

• Ensure all designated production locations maintain all required regulatory information and certifications. (i.e. kosher certificates, SQF certificates, 3rd party audits, etc).

• Ensure all in-house bottled water, beverage analyses, laboratory tests, and procedures are properly understood and carried out. When required by a customer, ensure that relative/routine quality and production documents are forwarded to the customer in a timely manner.

• Review chemical usage, storage, and safety practices with each designated production locations.

• Work with each designated production locations to ensure water processing, batching, thermal processing, bottling, packaging and logistics quality compliance. Ensure compliance and improvement through GMP auditing and implementation of corrective actions.

• Maintain a strong knowledge of food processing and plant sanitation principles and techniques.

• When necessary, monitor the product/package quality as well as GMPs at regional 3PL warehouses and or re-packs.

Value Creation

• Working with the corporate QA teams and Plant Manufacturing Directors, ensures delivery against QA Department goals and objectives. (i.e. meeting commitments and coordinating overall quality assurance schedule).

• Work with the Corporate Quality Compliance Manager and the Corporate Technical Services Manager to ensure that all regulatory product and source samples are taken in a timely manner.

• When necessary, be present at new bottled water customer start-ups and beverage formulation and/or reformulation start-ups. Review all beverage formulations, beverage batching procedures, new mineral formulations, and packaging requirements prior to the first production of each new product. Interact with the appropriate Niagara personnel to correct and/or update the bill of materials (BOMs) when necessary.

• Review chemical usage, storage, and safety practices with each designated production locations. Monitors and enforces safety requirements.

• When necessary, review raw material receiving, storage, and rotation practices within the production locations. Ensure production locations maintain awareness of aging raw materials and finished product. Review the handling and storage practices of partial raw material storage. Ensure only Kosher ingredients are used by each location.

• Travel Requirements approx. 50%

Collaboration

• Ensure that our Corporate Consumer Affairs Department is informed of any updates such as package changes, product additions, date code format changes, etc.

• Interacting with Consumer Affairs, collect the necessary information and/or corrective actions when customer and/or consumer complaints are received on products/packages. Work with each production location to ensure that the complaints and properly investigated and closed out at the plant level. Review all complaint corrective actions (CAPA).

• Work with Customer Quality Manager to assist in the follow-up, trouble-shooting and resolution of customer issues.

• When necessary conduct area tanker wash station audits. Interact with the Sourcing and Logistics personnel on audit findings and corrective actions.

Innovation/ Continuous Improvement

• Working with the Corporate Supplier Quality Manager, help to develop/implement the quality monitoring requirements for beverage and/or bottled water raw material suppliers. Interact with Niagara Sourcing personnel to assist with beverage raw material specifications and compare with Niagara and/or customer requirements.

• Maximize the use of Niagara's document control software Master Control, Presage, Ignition and Infinity QS. Follow up with designated production locations to ensure all CAPAs are properly handled and closed out in a timely manner.

• Forward all necessary information to corporate personnel for the Quality Scorecard. Review data with each production location to ensure accuracy and improve performance.

• Work with local QA Managers to recommend quality improvement options and/or Corrective Actions to the Plant Director. Analyzes and resolves product/package quality issues. Assist workers in solving product/package quality issues.

Customer Focus

• Be on site at production locations when necessary to assist with customer visits and/or audits. Interact with customer's quality assurance department when samples or technical information is requested. Redirect any non-quality related questions and/or issues to the appropriate person in Niagara Bottling.

Team Member Development

• Work with local Plant Director to assist with hiring, training, coaching and performance reviews of QA employees. Works with HR for employee discipline issues, terminations and recruitment.

• Assist local Plant Director in building a positive work environment in the QA Department.

• Please note this job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without prior notice.

Competencies

• Excellent communication skills at all levels. Ability to influence, support and lead plant QA Departments and quality teams.

• Implementation and monitoring of all quality standards, procedures and policies such as HACCP, GMPs, SOPs, SPC and Food Safety.

• Ability to present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, employees, or customers.

• Familiarity with lab safety and the proper handling of hazardous materials.

• Strong knowledge of food plant sanitation principles and techniques.

• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve departmental and company goals.

• Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge.

• Must be able to make independent judgments on issues affecting quality assurance procedures, forms, policies, and standards.

• Strong organization and planning skills with ability to multi task.

• Must work well under pressure in a very fast paced environment.

• Understand and support the customer's business: New product and packaging trends, ingredient contributions and packaging trends.

• Microsoft Office, Word, Excel and Outlook

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications:
• 6 Years

• Experience in beverage processing/manufacturing including aseptic products

• Experience with GFSI certification standards

• experience may include a combination of work experience and education

• Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ Years

• Experience in beverage processing/manufacturing including aseptic products

• Experience with GFSI certification standards

• experience may include a combination of work experience and education

This position embodies the values of Niagara's LIFE competency model, focusing on the following key drivers of success:

• Lead Like an Owner

• Manages a safe working environment, accurately documents safety related training, and effectively communicates safety incidents

• Provides strategic input and oversight to departmental projects

• Makes data driven decisions and develops sustainable solutions

• Skilled in reducing costs and managing timelines while prioritizing long run impact over short term wins

• Makes decisions by putting overall company success first before department/individual success

• Leads/facilitates discussions to get positive outcomes for the customer

• Makes strategic decisions which prioritize the needs of the customer over departmental/individual goals

• InnovACT

• Continuously evaluates existing programs and processes, and develops new initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce waste

• Creates, monitors, and responds to departmental performance metrics to drive continuous improvement

• Communicates a clear vision, organizes resources effectively, and adjusts the strategy as needed when managing change

• Find a Way

• Demonstrates ability to think analytically and synthesize complex information

• Effectively delegates technical tasks to subordinates

• Works effectively with departments, vendors, and customers to achieve organizational success

• Identifies opportunities for collaboration in strategic ways

• Empowered to be Great

• Makes hiring decisions primarily based on culture fit and attitude, and secondarily based on technical expertise

• Engages in long term talent planning

• Provides opportunities for the development of all direct reports

• Understands, identifies, and addresses conflict within own team and between teams

Education

• Minimum Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science or other related field

• Preferred:

• Master's Degree in Food Science or other related field

Certification/License:

• Required: N/A
• Preferred: CPO IBWA, HACCP, SQF Practitioner

Typical Compensation Range

Pay Rate Type: Salary

$103,207.00 - $144,490.00 / Yearly

Bonus Target: 10% Annual

Benefits

https://careers.niagarawater.com/us/en/benefits

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Employment agencies that have fee agreements with Niagara Bottling, LLC and have been engaged on a search shall submit résumé to the designated Niagara Bottling, LLC recruiter or, upon authorization, submit résumé into this career site to be eligible for placement fees.