QA Manager

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

**POSITION TITLE**: Quality Assurance Manager

**REPORTS TO**: General Manager/ Assistant General Manager
- **POSITION OVERVIEW**

Ability to learn and maintain the quality, food safety system, and regulatory requirement of Canada, United States, and any other exporting countries of Soo Jerky Ltd. QA manager solves problems, mitigate food safety risk through implementation of field level risk-based food safety preventive controls program. Must conduct themselves professionally, having good communication skills, tactful attributes and team building skills to protect the interest of all stakeholders.
- **KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS**

The QA Manager is responsible for providing proactive leadership, implementation and compliance of all food safety and quality demands as set by the government regulatory bodies, customers, and inhouse requirements at Soo Jerky Ltd.

**Key Accountabilities**
- Effectively manage a team of three quality assurance members.
- Develop, implement, maintain, and reassess food safety system required to operate a federally licensed establishment under SFCR and SQF guidelines.
- Manage HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan and pre-requisite programs. Conduct validation studies as needed.
- Report findings and recommendations to management and manage monthly Management Review Team Meeting.
- Work with the plant management, product management, and product development teams on new product launches to ensure new products meet specifications.
- Execute all food safety related strategies, regulatory, and policies and procedures; maintain open communication with all related departments to address the identification of food safety hazards and process improvement opportunities.
- Routine employee training on quality, and food safety program responsibilities.
- Routinely audit food safety practices to objectively evaluate performance and provide feedback to other personnel as necessary to ensure compliance with Preventative Controls Program and any Regulatory requirements (federal/state/provincial/local).
- Ensure raw materials, manufacturing processes, plant environment and finished products meet established formulations and specifications.
- Direct communication with local CFIA staff on any major issues or concerns and ensure new regulatory requirements are implemented.
- Lead contact for food safety team, pest control and sanitation chemical supplier.
- Lead and accountable for preparation and participation in all third-party audits (i.e. CFIA, Costco, SQF etc), customers, and regulatory entities. Analyze results and gather corrective action plans for audit non-conformance(s). Review results with Management. Maintain professional interaction with all auditors.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with government and customer standards (CFIA meat and fisheries, USDA, FDA, and our exporting countries’ regulatory requirements, including all labelling requirement).
- Promote a positive and professional relationship with CFIA, Management, and co-workers.
- Oversee the inspection of in process and finished products for compliance to specifications and the completion of the required documents (including conducting environmental monitoring and product sampling as required).
- Work closely with sales and plant operations in the areas of quality program management, inspections, and testing requirements

**3. COMPETENCIES (Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, Education, Ability)**
- Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Biology or equivalent
- Knowledge of quality systems and processes (i.e. product traceability)
- 3 to 5 years’ experience with QA systems, regulations, guidelines, and relevant standards
- HACCP certification, knowledgeable of SQF Code Version 9, with previous experience as SQF Practitioner
- Understanding of food safety regulations, laws, and best practices from FDA, USDA, CFIA, and other state/provincial/local entities
- Must have a desire for achieving excellence in customer satisfaction, process and product quality and reliability.
- Ability to get things done with mínimal supervision and willingness to work flexible hours
- Positive and professional approach with willingness to learn
- Strong organizational and strategic thinking skills
- Basic knowledge of food safety, and food defense
- **DELIVERABLES**

60 DAYS
- Fully understand and know Soo Jerky Ltd’s food safety system
- Fully know all products and their abbreviations produced by Soo Jerky Ltd
- Perform all tasks, monitoring, and verification
- Know and understand all documents within Soo Jerky Ltd’s food safety system, locations of files physically and electronically
- Recognize all key personnel in all departments
- Understand and know all operations, and locations in the plant

90 DAYS
- Reassess Soo Jerky Ltd’s food safety system
- Able to perform mock recalls successfully within time limit
- Revise all validation documents and improve and update if required
- Verify all Pre-shipment Revi