Quality Manager

Job Summary:

Provide leadership and oversight to ensure Bridgewater Quality Control performs all required testing accurately and consistently, ensuring that only high‑quality, compliant material is released from the plant. Drive continuous improvement by initiating and supporting corrective actions that enhance product quality, manufacturing yields, and operational performance, while reducing shirring issues and customer complaints.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Ensure Quality Control personnel consistently provide accurate, timely, and sufficient testing results required by Operations to achieve targeted product quality and optimal manufacturing yields. 2. Ensure Collagen quality-hold areas are reviewed, dispositioned, and released in a timely manner while maintaining compliance with internal specifications and quality standards. 3. Monitor, analyze, and review trends of plant quality data to identify risks, deviations, and improvement opportunities, and initiate, develop, and lead corrective and preventive action plans. 4. Lead the identification, investigation, and resolution of shirring quality issues associated with reel stock, driving root-cause analysis and corrective actions to reduce defects and improve consistency. 5. Coordination of the investigations of customer complaints in extrusion center, including evaluation and testing of returned or complaint materials when requested by the responsible center, and implementation of corrective actions in extrusion to prevent recurrence. 6. Cooperation with R&D to ensure all new product applications, trials, and process changes are properly tested, validated, and approved by Quality Control prior to implementation or customer release, 7. Work closely with the Commercial organization when quality issues occur in the field by researching quality data, coordinating analysis of returned materials and samples, and collaborating cross-functionally to determine and implement appropriate corrective actions. Responsible to inform production center responsible for the samples or returned material about the results of the findings. 8. Support and maintain compliance with applicable quality, food safety, and regulatory requirements, ensuring quality systems, procedures, and documentation are followed. 9. Support internal and external audits, including customer audits, by ensuring audit readiness, accurate records, and timely closure of findings and corrective actions. 10. Partner with Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance to integrate quality requirements into manufacturing processes, equipment changes, and continuous improvement initiatives. 11. Provide leadership, coaching, and development to Quality Control personnel to ensure consistent interpretation and application of specifications, test methods, and quality decisions. 12. Ensure testing methods, specifications, and measurement systems are accurate, maintained, and fit for purposes to support reliable quality data and decision-making. 13. Promote a strong culture of quality, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement across the facility. 14. Serve as back-up to the VUS Quality Director for Collagen, providing continuity of quality leadership, oversight, and decision-making. 15. Occasional travel to other Viscofan plants or customer locations may be required.

Qualifications:

1)

Education:

Undergraduate Degree required in Food Science, Quality, Biology, Chemistry or related technical discipline. 2) Five or more years of progressive QA/QC experience within food manufacturing or similarly regulated production environments 3) Working knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). 4) Experience managing quality investigations, customer complaints, and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes. 5) Demonstrated ability to analyze quality data, trends, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to support continuous improvement initiatives 6) Experience supporting internal, customer, and third-party audits, including preparation, execution, and corrective action follow-up 7)

Skills:

MS Office intermediate/advanced required; ability to quickly learn to use other software and programs. SAP experience preferred. 8) Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred.

Competencies:

1) Leadership and people management, including coaching, training, and development of QA/QC staff. 2) Analytical problem solving and root-cause analysis skills applied to quality and operational issues. 3) Strong cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and Commercial teams. 4) Regulatory and audit readiness, with attention to documentation, traceability, and compliance expectations. 5) Effective written and verbal communication skills across all organizational levels. 6) Ability to lead change and drive continuous improvement in quality systems and manufacturing processes. 7) Customer-focused mindset with accountability for complaint resolution and product performance. 8) Adaptability and decision-making capability in fast-paced manufacturing environments. 9) Communicate effectively at all levels in the organization, translating technical quality information into clear, practical guidance for operators, supervisors, managers and senior leadership. 10) Builds strong cross -functional relationships by communicating openly with Operations, Commercial, Engineering, and other departments to resolve quality issues and achieve shared objectives.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$70,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Education:

Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

Quality :

3 years (Required)

Work Location:

In person