QA / QC Manager

www.arkfoods.com

Come join a fast-growing food brand that is revolutionizing what we eat. Ark Foods is a modern-day farming company that creates simple, fresh, and exciting food. From the specialty vegetables that we grow at our farm locations up and down the East Coast to our packaged vegetable products, Ark Foods is rethinking modern agriculture from the ground up.

You can find our products in leading retailers and wholesalers across the USA.

Overview

Ark Foods is seeking an experienced QA / QC Manager to lead the day-to-day execution of quality assurance and food safety at our Florida packinghouse, and beyond.

This role will be based in Immokalee, FL and report to our VP of Quality Assurance. The QA / QC Manager will be the primary on-the-ground quality leader for our Florida operation and will also support and help own quality execution at our South Carolina operation, including regular seasonal travel to South Carolina from approximately June through October.

The role sits at the intersection of Quality Assurance and Quality Control. QA focuses on food safety, compliance, proper processes, documentation, training, and audit readiness. QC focuses on the quality of the product itself - receiving inspections, product specifications, grading, quality issues, rework, and continuous improvement. We are looking for someone who is comfortable operating across both areas.

Key work streams will include:

• Working closely with our QA Technician to manage day-to-day food safety and QA execution at our Florida and South Carolina packhouses
• Upholding our food safety procedures and programs
• Maintaining strong day-to-day audit readiness and helping to lead facility-level preparation for PrimusGFS, Organic, and other applicable audits, under the guidance of the VP of Quality Assurance
• Monitoring company standards for Organic product handling, segregation and mass balance documentation
• Ensuring proper traceability processes, and helping to ensure receiving, lot, and quality information is accurately entered and maintained in our ERP system
• Working with QA Technician on training and coaching packhouse personnel with regards to GMPs, PPE and general food safety practices
• Working with team on proper QC receiving documentation and grading procedures
• Leading routine internal inspections and following through on corrective actions and continuous improvement opportunities
• Fielding inbound customer quality complaints by investigating issues and processing proper corrective actions
• Setting and upholding current product specifications and quality standards for each item and working closely with the General Manager to ensure the Operations team consistently meets and upholds those standards
• Supporting routine supplier approvals and supplier documentation
• Supporting Operations team on receiving standards, product inspections, quality evaluations, rework, and other day-to-day QC processes
• Leading day-to-day quality and food safety execution at the packhouse while working with the larger quality team to maintain high standards and drive continuous improvement

This role is designed for someone who likes being close to the operation. The right person will be equally comfortable reviewing food safety documentation, training a team member, preparing for an audit, investigating a customer complaint, and walking the packhouse floor to understand a product quality issue firsthand.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Biology, Microbiology, Agricultural Science, Nutrition or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered
• 3-5+ years of experience in quality assurance, food safety, quality control, or a related role within fresh produce, food manufacturing, agriculture, or a similar operating environment
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP-based food safety programs, GMPs, sanitation and environmental monitoring, product traceability, product hold and release procedures, corrective actions, and preparation for third-party, customer, and regulatory audits
• Experience with QC receiving documentation and inspections along with aligning product to the specification
• Exceptional organization skills and an ability to build consistent processes across a fast-moving operation
• Very strong communication skills, and the ability to train and coach teams with varying levels of technical experience
• Comfort working independently and making intelligent day-to-day quality decisions
• HACCP, PCQI, or other relevant food safety training or certifications
• Experience with PrimusGFS or similar GFSI-recognized food safety schemes
• Experience with USDA Organic certification and organic handling requirements
• Willingness to travel regularly to our South Carolina operation during its primary season, approximately June through October
• A belief that there is no task too small and no challenge too large
  

In Your Favor

• Bilingual English and Spanish
• Experience in fresh produce packinghouse or grower-packer-shipper operations