Quality Assurance Specialist

**Quality Assurance Specialist**

**Overview**:
MDI is one of the largest dairy operations in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is a processor of specialty Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) and Butter Products that operates 24/7,365 days a year.

We are looking to add a **Quality Assurance Specialist **to our Quality team, at our Winnipeg, Manitoba location.

This position will be reporting to the Quality Manager and be responsible to lead all activities associated with maintaining and improving the quality systems in a manner that promotes our VALUES and PURPOSE. The **Quality Assurance Specialist** is responsible for developing and implementing quality assurance policies, SOPs, identifying continuous improvement opportunities for quality systems, production, process, or product issues and presenting solutions. In addition, this role you will be responsible for redesigning and evolving the food safety and quality systems training program, establishing frequency of training and upgrades and driving continuous improvement in MDI’s food safety culture.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Quality Assurance**
- Assist with evaluating all non-conformances for quality and food safety issues, escalate issues if required, and provide training.
- Participates in the establishment of Validation protocols for facilities, utilities, equipment, processes, and systems. Coordinates the execution and maintenance of Validation protocols.
- Responsible to provide leadership in the development, training and developing, monitoring and maintenance of the plant HACCP, GMP programs, Food Safety, Quality and Sanitation programs, to ensure a safe and wholesome product supply and ensure a safe work environment throughout the plant.
- May be required to coordinate and/or participate in cross-functional internal committees on quality assurance and validation
- In the absence of Quality Assurance Manager, the Quality Assurance Specialist will take over the duties of the Quality Assurance Manager.

**Technical Assistance**
- Review non-conformances and customer complaints with production team leads/ supervisors and assist in determining root causes of issues and assign corrective actions in a timely manner.
- Monitor production areas for maintaining regulatory and food safety requirements.
- Review and analyze the qualification, validation, calibration and maintenance of testing equipment and instruments.

**Document Control System**
- Review, refresh and maintain all food safety and quality SOP’s.
- Review departmental SOPs to ensure the SOP is accurate to what is being performed on the production floor and route the SOPs through the review and approval process.

**Internal Support & Service**
- Review, refresh and maintain food safety training program.
- Create training materials and operating manuals.
- Oversee the facilitation of all internal quality onboarding and continuous development training of all Operations staff

**Validation Duties**
- Provides guidance in the support and maintenance of the Master Validation Program. Maintains the validation plan and recommends changes that are necessary due to changes in regulations and industry standards, and/or changes that are due to change control documentation produced by the company.

**Knowledge and Skills**:

- Knowledge of a range of Food Safety and Quality Systems requirements, Regulatory Requirements, Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP).
- Demonstrate leadership ability and interpersonal skills that help to create a team environment and achieve department business goals.
- Identifies key or underlying issues in complex situations.
- Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires the evaluation of identifiable factors. Exercises judgement within generally defined practices and policies in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.
- Demonstrates effective interpersonal, listening, and presentation skills. understanding the issues in a message and in providing effective feedback. Finds ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs and focuses on improving quality, business/ scientific processes, products and systems.
- Identifies patterns and root cause and effect relationships, and knows what information is missing. Generates recommendations, ideas, and solutions.

**Minimum Qualifications**:

- Degree in Science/Biotechnology or equivalent
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in QA and food processing
- Sound knowledge of Regulatory Requirements, Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP).
- Experience with HACCP or FSSC 22000 an asset.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the proven ability to communicate one-on-one.
- Proficient computer skills in Word, Excel, graphing, and database programs.

We thank all applicants for their interest however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. MDI Holdings Corp. is an equal oppor