Quality Assurance Manager - Food Manufacturing at Beyond Meat

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

At Beyond Meat, we started with simple questions. Why do you need an animal to create meat? Why can’t you build meat directly from plants? Thus, we make plant-based meats that allow families to eat more, not less, of the traditional dishes they love while feeling great about the health, sustainability, and animal welfare benefits of plant protein. Our goal is to bring exciting change to the plate—and Beyond.

OVERVIEW

Beyond Meat is focused on raising the bar on talent. We are dedicated to shaping an inclusive culture that drives excellence, innovation, and results by enabling talent acceleration and development, engagement, and the employee experience.  The Quality Team is a matrix organization within Beyond Meat that is dedicated to creating food products that are leading the gold standard in plant-based proteins. They are looking for an outstanding individual to join the team located in Devault, PA as a Quality Manager.

The Quality Assurance Manager’s primary role is to ensure that all food products produced meet requirements of customers, regulatory authorities, and the Company.  The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of quality control programs and procedures necessary to meet internal and customer specific quality control standards.TASKS, DUTIES, & GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIESWork closely with executive management on proactively improving quality assurance programChampion and maintain quality and food safety initiatives to monitor and document product, facility, and worker compliance at the manufacturing siteConduct annual validations of compliance to company and government standardsLead SQF certification, Non-GMO Projects, and program maintenanceInterface with all regulatory agencies, certification bodies, and customers and ensure compliance of manufacturing facilitiesSupport production at manufacturing locations in producing top quality products that meet internal specificationsCollaborate with Regulatory Team to conduct packaging/nutritional audits on current production as neededOrganize food safety training documentation and tools and monitor effectiveness of training programs for productionReview and maintain hold log, product specifications, certificates of analysis, and all other QA documentsCoordinate relevant physical, chemical, and microbiological tests on raw materials, WIP items, and finished products per specificationsReview lab testing results, testing requirements, and procedures on products and processing environmentsOversee all plants HACCP, pre-requisite quality programs, and all quality/food safety related programs to meet internal, regulatory, and/or customer requirementsEnsure all sanitation and food safety guidelines are being met throughout the manufacturing facilitiesGenerate reports describing Quality Assurance KPIs, activities, trends, and expenditures as well as communicate findings and action plans to necessary/appropriate partiesHelp with the Sensory Evaluation process to ensure that all products are meeting company standardsManage food safety related concerns and complaints with corrective action reportsAttend industry educational trainings, seminars, and events to understand industry best practices and provide technical support to the facilityManage quality budget including testing costs, capital expenditures, and headcount of quality teamAssist with BOM development and management of products Assist with plant trials for new and existing productsCoordinate shelf-life studies of existing products to validate instructions, microbial limits, and organoleptic propertiesAdhere to all facility policies concerning safety, security, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)Performs other duties, as assigned, and follows through on requests in a timely mannerSupervisory DutiesLead, manage, and supervise employees, delegate training for all processes within the Quality area settingProvide mentorship and training to functional team membersAccountable for developing talent through on-going performance feedback and career management coachingQUALIFICATIONSEducation, Technical Skills, and/or Previous Experience: Bachelor's of Science degree in Food Science or Microbiology preferred or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience may be consideredThorough knowledge of GMP, FDA/USDA and Food Safety, SOP’s, and SQFLeadership skills, focused on results, employee engagement, decision making, teamwork, and change managementStrong mathematical skills

Other qualifications:Bi-lingual in Spanish is a plus, not a requirement Strong PC skills, including MS office programsExcellent interpersonal, communication, problem solving, and organizational skillsThe employee must have the ability to quantitatively review technical procedures and representative regulations.  In addition, must be capable of writing detailed reports and general day-to-day oversight and related correspondenceThe ability to effectively present information to groups and respond to questions from peers, supervisors, and managers is essentialAbility to multi-task and set priorities within Quality AssuranceMinimum of 5 years’ experience in a food and/or beverage manufacturing environmentWORK ENVIRONMENTWarehouse and production manufacturing environment that includes both tempered and ambient areas. The work environment is representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Position requires the ability to stand or sit for prolonged periods, step, balance, crouch, stoop, kneel, squat, bend, occasionally lifting up to 50 lbs., reach above shoulders, or as needed to complete tasks.Must be able to occasionally climb stairs or a ladder to complete tasksPosition located in a mix of production and office environments and requires a tolerance for consistent cold work environments (-10-40˚ F), high worker traffic, loud noises, odors, dust, and varying room temperatures.This position will be required to visit the production floor, refrigerated and frozen storage, and warehouses.Work flexible shifts as required.Understand that overtime and occasional weekends and/or worked holidays will be required based on company needs.Travel may be requiredThe starting annual base pay for this role is between USD $87,000 and $100,000.  The actual base is dependent upon many factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. The role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, and benefits. 

Beyond Meat is an equal employment opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, gender identify, sexual orientation, national origin, liability for military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you are interested in learning the status of your application, please note you will be contacted directly by the appropriate human resources contact person if you are selected for further consideration. Beyond Meat reserves the right to defer or close a vacancy at any time.

Please note that Beyond Meat has adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees. All U.S. employees who (a) physically enter a Beyond Meat facility in the United States, (b) represent Beyond Meat at work-related events, including but not limited to trade shows and product demonstrations, or (c) physically enter customer or potential customer sites in connection with their work for Beyond Meat must take all necessary steps to be Fully Vaccinated as a condition of employment, unless a reasonable accommodation is approved.Apply for this job