FSQA Assistant Manager

John Soules Foods is a thriving family-owned food company that has been making a positive difference for its customers and consumers for nearly 50 years. We are driven by our purpose—and promise—of Great Food, Made Simple. Based in Tyler, Texas, the company is a leading national producer of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook chicken and beef products and is the number one producer of chicken and beef fajitas in the USA. We are proud to serve a broad portfolio of great tasting, high quality products that are sold throughout the US via retail, food service distributors, and restaurants. Included in our wide array of national customers are prominent organizations such as Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, Sysco, and HEB. The company was established in 1975 by John Soules Sr. and the business is now in the second generation of family leadership. The organization has expanded dramatically over the past decade, and with its continued growth now has annual sales of approximately $1 Billion. The company employs over 2,000 individuals and has three manufacturing facilities in Gainesville, Georgia; Valley, Alabama; and at its headquarters in Tyler, Texas.

The FSQA Assistant Manager will play a pivotal part in upholding John Soules Foods' rigorous company standards for food safety and quality. This position reports to the site FSQA manager.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead the FSQA team for the assigned shift, including supervisory and hourly FSQA team members.
• Develop, implement, and verify adequate food safety and quality training for plant team members and quality assurance staff.
• Monitor production process to ensure plant procedures are within written protocols by evaluating product processing, handling, packaging, and storage procedures to ensure the highest product safety and sanitation levels are maintained throughout production.
• Work in conjunction with plant management to communicate with FSIS/USDA personnel as needed.
• Lead and participate in internal audits to determine/assess compliance with company policy and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure compliance with plant quality and food safety programs, including but not limited to HACCP, Food Safety Plans, GMPs, SSOPs, and Environmental Monitoring Programs.
• Responsible for the implementation of the pre-operational sanitation inspection process.
• Responsible for managing compliance and education of FSQA staff for standards set forth by John Soules Foods for personnel safety, food safety, and quality assurance.
• Assist the plant management team with food safety, food quality, process instruction, formulas, specifications, and protocol requirements as required to promote high product quality standards.
• Complete special projects, duties, and assignments, as appropriate, possibly across multiple shifts at times.
• Authorized to hold non-confirming product and determine product disposition. Must have the ability to make sound judgments and good decisions regarding quality and wholesomeness of product.
• Develop and communicate FSQA data trends and lead root-cause analysis.
• Lead the FSQA team in the absence of the FSQA manager, including but not limited to covering reporting duties, decision making responsibilities, onsite audits, customer communications, and regulatory compliance.
  
  

Qualifications

Education:

• A Bachelor of Science degree is preferred in Food Science, Meat/Animal Science, or related science discipline such as chemistry, biology, or microbiology.
  
  

Experience

• Minimum 3-5 years' experience in food processing and quality management, meat industry FDA and USDA-regulated products preferred.
• Former supervisory experience or demonstrated potential to hire and develop salaried supervisory employees.
• Demonstrated “hands-on” management experience.
• Experience working with and leading diverse and cross-functional teams.
  
  

Skills / Proficiencies

• Technical knowledge of food quality/safety procedures and programs, regulatory requirements, microbial hazards, HACCP program development, microbiological laboratory procedures, sanitation procedures, and plant operations.
• Strong interpersonal skills, written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to effectively communicate throughout all levels of the organization.
• Ability to analyze data and information and to make effective and timely decisions.
• Capacity to work with others to identify opportunities.
• Strong leadership and managerial skills and the ability to coach and develop employees.
• Ability to work under pressure and to react to situations with a strong sense of urgency.
• Solid problem-solving, project management, multi-tasking, and prioritization skills.
• Ability to listen and consider all ideas while working in a team environment.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word proficiency.
• Ability for limited travel to other facilities as needed.