Our Mission

The mission of Gemstone Foods, LLC is to provide the value-added food service and wholesale poultry market with products that exceed our customers’ expectations.  Using the collective poultry experience of our management, we are dedicated to earning the trust of our customers by adhering to strenuous federal and local food and worker safety standards.  We also strive to become a premier employer in the community, enriching the local families of our workers, owners, and business partners.

 

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Quality Assurance Manager is accountable for implementing and verifying their facility’s adherence to Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) programs. Leads the facility food safety and quality culture through their supervisors and team, establishing and maintaining quality assurance standards, procedures and controls. Works directly with corporate and plant management teams.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

– Manages, plans, coordinates, and directs quality control programs designed to ensure continuous production and service consistent with established standards.

-Responsible for development of statistical analysis in order to manage food safety and quality program ensuring continuous improvement.

-Develop, implement and maintain food safety and quality procedures and manuals to align with Gemstone programs.

-Lead Product development activities to meet customer expectation and quality standards.

-Lead the development of Project Quality Control Plans (QCP)in connection with proposal activities and contract deliverables both at the program and project levels.

-Conduct QA audits on project procedures and Project QCP activities.  Also audit company policies, procedures and processes that have to do with or affect QA.

-Build and maintain cooperative relationships within and outside the facility, including customers, to effectively implement and maintain Gemstones FSQA programs. A key member of the facility leadership team.

-Prevent product and company risk by managing nonconforming product processes, QA HOLDs, and leading corrective action programs.

– Coordinates with operations and quality teams to investigate customer complaints and respond in a timely manner.

– Displays determination when utilizing necessary resources, including personnel, to ensure control over materials, facilities, services, and products.

-Plans, promotes, and organizes training activities related to food safety and quality assurance.

-Interfaces with facility team to assist in problem solving using root cause analyses when resolving daily personnel and processing incidents.

-Coaches and trains FSQA team as needed to ensure full understanding of expectations within the department.

-Lead customer, third party and USDA/FSIS/ASM audits when conducted.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

-Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Science or similar field; or five (5) years related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and training.

-Previous supervisory experience required.

-Previous experience in poultry further processing preferred.

-Must have an understanding of OSHA regulations.

-Must have proficient computer skills such as Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.).

-Strong written and verbal communication/presentation skills.

-Must demonstrate good leadership skills.

-Must become well versed in customers quality programs in a short period of time.

-Must have good math and analytical skills.

-Must be dependable and prompt with strong integrity and work ethic.

-Self-motivated, flexible, and able to adapt to a rapidly changing work environment and able to work well with others.

-BRC Training preferred.

-Travel 10% of time.

-Must be able to work varying days (including occasional weekends) and shifts in order to meet deadlines.

-Able to work independently and exhibit Gemstones values to uphold the Quality and FSQA Programs.

-Maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in manner so that their work is done efficiently and cooperatively with coworkers and leadership teams.

-Able to navigate processing areas and equipment.

-Recognizes and acts on incidents and safety risks. Consistently practices and enforces safe work habits and drives those habit throughout the facility.

-Recognizes and acts on incidents of food safety risks. Consistently practices and enforces a food safe work habits and drives those habits throughout the facility.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

-The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential function of this job.

-While performing the duties of this job, the team member will be exposed to both an office environment and the production environment of wet and/or humid conditions and moving mechanical parts.

-The noise level in the production environment is loud.

-Must wear all required PPE.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

-Able to work in cold temperatures (40-55 degrees F)

-Able to lift up to 50 pounds