Sr. Manager, FSQA

Aspire Bakeries is a North American baking company with a leadership position in specialty frozen baked goods. Formed from leading bakery companies, its innovative food portfolio includes breads, artisan breads, buns, cookies, donuts, muffins and pastries from beloved brands like La Brea Bakery®, Otis Spunkmeyer®, and Oakrun Farm Bakery®. With 13 bakeries in North America, we are committed to driving innovation, predicting upcoming consumer trends and flavors, and exceeding our customers’ expectations. Aspire Bakeries champions the values of Integrity, Ownership, Customer Focus, Creativity and Care to help us deliver on People Safety, Food Safety, Quality and Collaboration.

As the Senior Manager, FSQA you will lead and enhance the implementation of Food Safety and Quality Assurance programs across our bakeries, ensuring alignment with AIMS and compliance with regulatory standards. This role drives continuous improvement by developing and enforcing company-wide food safety and quality policies while collaborating with cross-functional teams to elevate bakery operations and processes. Reporting to the Director of FSQA, the Senior Manager will serve as a key leader, providing guidance to internal teams and acting as a strategic partner with regulatory agencies and customers. This position offers an opportunity to shape the future of food safety and quality while fostering operational excellence across our organization.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for maintaining brand integrity through focus on food safety, quality and legality, in line with Aspire Bakeries expectations and guidelines.
• Accountable for understanding and adhering to relevant food regulations; international, national, state, and local while leading bakery teams in meeting regulations, and effectively interacting with regulatory personnel. Examples include Food and Drug, local health department inspections, weights and measure inspections, and preventive controls.
• Responsible for understanding, implementing , and leading the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Standard, BRCGS at the bakery. Lead bakery in recertification, and overseeing bakery preparations for customer and third-party audits.
• Responsible for implementing and improving standardized food safety and quality assurance policies including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC), Aspire Integrated Management System (AIMS), and creating improvement strategies for the business.
• Responsible for leading the bakery Food Safety (HARPC) team in the evaluation and implementation of appropriate controls for biological, chemical (including radiological and allergens), physical, and economically motivated hazards to our foods. This should also include consideration for the development of defect action limits, hygienic zoning, and adequate by-product controls.
• Responsible for up-dating and the continuous review of existing Food Safety Plans to incorporate current GMP practices, prerequisite programs, Process Preventive Controls, Allergen Preventive Controls, Sanitation Preventive Controls, and Supply Chain Applied Controls.
• Responsible for clearly identifying and communicating Quality and Food Safety objectives to the bakery management and operations teams.
• Stratagizing and driving continuous improvement in the area of Food Safety and Quality Assurance by supporting bakery team goals and key performance indicator (KPI) achievement.
• Set challenging, reasonable performance expectations for microbiological performance, foreign material control, regulatory compliance, and Food Safety Plan programs.
• Responsible for the selection, motivation, and development of food safety and quality assurance personnel to ensure all positions are effectively staffed and managed. Reviews progress with Human Resources on an ongoing basis. Conducts timely formal performance evaluations for all direct reports, in addition to recommending developmental training.
• Responsible for providing training, as needed, to bakery and Central Service personnel on quality, food safety, and basic food hygiene practices.
• Responsible for identifying resource needs within the team and applicable bakeries.
• Responsible for the effective completion of root cause analysis and corrective actions to all non-conformances at bakery level.
• Responsible for supporting bakery management teams in resolving food safety and quality nonconformities and implementing effective root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Responsible for verifying the completion of ongoing finished product sensory evaluation reviews and identifying quality opportunities for improvement to bakery teams.
• Responsible for completion of independent food safety, GMP, and bakery hygiene gap assessments within the bakery and as needed in distribution centers, and supplier locations.
• Monitoring and oversight of bakery FSQA budgets, working in tandem with bakery controller(s).
• Responsible for providing support and direction to bakery teams in the implementation and strict adherence of AIMS programs.
• Responsible for verifying completion of bakery(s) FSQA Compliance Calendar(s).
• Responsible for effective implementation and adherence to Aspire Bakeries’ s Net
• Weight Verification Procedure including an understanding of federal laws governing net weight and labelling.
• Responsible for the effective implementation and adherence to the Aspire Bakeries Recall and Traceability Program.
• Responsible for implementing environmental monitoring programs in adherence to AIMS 16.0 Microbiological and Environmental Monitoring Program. This includes KPI trending, and root cause analysis, and robust corrective actions are in place to reduce, control, and eliminate the potential for environmental pathogens, indicator spoilage organisms, and contamination of food contact surfaces or finished food.
• Routinely interfaces with key customers to preserve and enhance the image of Aspire Bakeries as a competent supplier of safe, quality foods exceeding their expectations.
• Responsible for ensuring customer requests and communications with the bakery are effectively controlled and completed.
• Responsible for assuring bakery FSQA team effectively investigate customer/consumer complaints using root cause analysis, corrective actions and preventive measures, and responding to complaints in the required timeframe, and analyzing complaint trends for continuous improvement.
• Responsible for the oversight of customer complaint management with the bakery teams. Assist bakery teams in investigating complaint concerns and investigation requests and timeliness of responses.
• Supports new food development to ensure appropriate controls and inspections are in place for the successful launch of new foods (e.g. sensory, process controls, SPC).
• Work directly with Operations management and in conjunction with R&D, Purchasing, Logistics, and other departments to provide guidance and assure implementation and adherence to AIMS.
• Responsible for ensuring Organic, non-GM, Kosher, and Halal certifications are being maintained and are up-to-date for each location as applicable.
• Responsible for fostering, supporting, and actively leading the food safety culture of the bakery, with clear understanding of SIFIRI (See It, Fix It, Report It) program. Includes regular communication, education, events, and employee recognition programs.
• Maintains awareness of industry advances and technologies to assure that customers have the benefit of the latest the industry has to offer with regard to food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and product quality.
• Oversee the enforcement of robust testing programs on foods to ensure compliance with regulations, and the advancement of product safety for our consumers.
• Accountable for upholding the values of integrity, ownership, customer focus, creativity, and care bringing these values into their daily work.
• Exemplifies a safe and healthy work environment and to conduct activities in a safe and healthy manner, reporting unsafe conditions to their direct report and bakery director.
• The Senior Food Safety and Quality Assurance Senior Manager may have oversight of an individual bakery location or multiple, as assigned.
• Additional duties as required, assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Microbiology, Chemistry, Food Technology or relateddiscipline required, and particular experience with manufacturing FSQA is required.
• 10+ years food industry manufacturing or quality experience including multi-site leadership experience is requried.
• Minimum of 5 years comprehensive food safety and quality experience with an extensive background in manufacturing food industry, HACCP, HARPC, USDA, or FDA preferred.
• Certified in HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point), USDA or FDA preferred.
• Certified in a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard such as BRC.
• Previous experience with GFSI (e.g. BRC)and/or USDA audits desirable.
• Comprehensive knowledge GMP’s.
• Strong statistical analysis, interpretation and reporting skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication.
• PCQI certification.

Aspire Bakeries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.