Job Summary

Roles and Responsibilities

• Plans and conducts scheduled audits of ingredient and packaging facilities and their corresponding food safety programs and assessing quality and food safety system performance.
• Conducts and confirms follow-up actions on Supplier Quality System Audits and Supplier Risk mitigation.
• Assesses supplier capabilities through direct visits using technical discussions and Quality System Audits and prepares detailed trip reports and audit reports to document audit findings and observations.
• Coordinate audit schedule to minimize costs and improve efficiency.
• Audit Report writing; clearly document audit results and findings in approved formats. Maintains accuracy of Supplier Audit Reports and Supplier Profile. Tracks and trends supplier performance via a quality systems site and communicates quality issues to suppliers as needed and provides assistance to develop corrective actions.
• Generates, reviews and implements Supplier Quality related policy/procedure and guidelines. Developments and generates supplier performance reports.
• Provides guidance to Purchasing and Operations in suppliers' quality system requirements.
• Maintains and reports on vendor performance and monitors quality and functionality of current ingredients and recommend specification changes as needed. Reports audit findings in the correct format to vendors and internal customers. Follows up on corrective actions needed.
• Assists with the evaluation of problem vendors and ingredients with plant QA staff and conducts investigations around resolving customer complaints.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with supplier partners, employees, supervisors and the general public.
• Monitors emerging food safety issues and regulatory trends as it relates to external supply.
• Able to work flexible hours (nights and weekends) as required.
• Willing to travel 60-75% of the time.
• Adhere to safe work practices, follow GMP's, maintain sanitary conditions and ensure that product quality is maintained. Report to management any conditions or practices that may adversely affect food safety, food quality or personnel safety.
• Adhere to all safety policies and procedures.
• Develop a supplier score card
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.
• Background in food science or related field and a minimum of 3 years' experience in QA systems and food safety auditing with experience writing audit reports and interpreting corrective action responses.
• Valid Driver's license and ability to travel by air.

Preferred Skills

• Working knowledge of Quality systems, food safety programs, HACCP, and GMP's is required.
• Strong continuous improvement knowledge.
• Excellent computer skills in Office, SharePoint, and ERP systems.
• Must have excellent communication, interpersonal and team building skills. Ability to influence others to make changes and elicit cooperation with vendors and team mates. Work with supplier (coach and educate) to improve the quality and food safety systems
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to vendors and management.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as proportions, percentages, fractions, ratios. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.
• Ability to deal with non-verbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, musical notes, etc.) in its most difficult phases.
• Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.