Associate Director – Manufacturing Food Safety & Quality

Associate Director – Manufacturing Food Safety & Quality

Title:

Associate Director – Manufacturing Food Safety & Quality

Reports to:

Director, Quality LHD

Location:

Chicago, IL
Job Type: Full‑time

Join Lactalis Heritage Dairy to lead the development, management, and control of safety and quality programs that ensure product safety and quality in manufacturing.

• Take ownership of food safety and quality in new manufacturing projects; ensure QID process is followed and includes all required documents such as risk assessment, Food Safety Visa, QFS databases, and SOPs.
• Collaborate with R&D in specification creation for new product development. Validate process capabilities, compliance with new product specifications (Quality standards) and set up KPIs to monitor ongoing performance to comply with customer requirements.
• Ensure that Control Plans are created and validated for new products: measurements, inspections, sampling, analytical testing of raw materials and finished goods.
• Liaise with cross‑functional teams such as R&D, Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing quality and facility QFS, Supplier and Co‑man audit team to ensure QFS risk assessments are completed and mitigation plans are implemented.
• Ensure all quality attributes of the product and process variability are reviewed post launch and make corrections to deviations.
• Establish quality run rules for new product startups to ensure product quality is consistent.
• Support facilities in investigating nonconformities with root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Assist plants in lowering CPM.
• Lead continuous improvement programs by training and coaching (rework, 5S, center lining, etc.).
• Ensure industrial quality capex is identified, prioritized and communicated according to the Lactalis Capex Cycle.
• Assist the plants in manufacturing process improvement (process variability, CIP and Sanitation).
• Validate that the product specifications are aligned with manufacturing capabilities and process limits.
• Establish the roadmap to food safety standards (HACCP, Prerequisites, OPRPs and SOPs) in collaboration with the plants.
• Support the plants in developing FS KPIs and tracking/trending them.
• Ensure the FSQ team is appropriately supporting the plants in Environmental Monitoring Program, Foreign Material Control, Shelf‑Life Management, and performing food safety audits.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, microbiology, food science, dairy science or life sciences.
• 15+ years of related experience, including active involvement in quality programs in a cheese manufacturing environment.
• Preferred certifications: HACCP.
• Knowledge of cheese chemistry, Excel, Outlook.
• Ability to manage quality standards QHSE and HACCP codex.
• Ability to develop and implement policies and procedures to investigate and resolve non‑compliant quality issues.
• Capacity to audit strategies in terms of hygiene, safety, risks and environment or laboratory and to analyze, elaborate and present results and associated action plans.

• Travel required up to 50% monthly.
• Extended hours may be necessary depending on project needs.

$145,000 – $165,000 plus 20% annual bonus.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, age, sex, or any other legally protected class, including disabilities.