The Compliance Manager will be responsible for managing all aspects of contract manufacture and allied product quality processes, qualification, and procedures including physical and sensory analysis and working cross-functionally to manage supplier quality and food safety systems. This role will develop and maintain reporting systems for internal and external customers; lead supplier management programs and supplier compliance; and manage and maintain products throughout their life cycle. This role will be responsible for managing international co-manufacturing regulatory, food safety and compliance requirements.

This position will play a key role in developing and administering compliance systems for all federal, state and local regulatory schemes, and will be a key point of contact for managing quality issues, along with other cross-functional partners as required.

Reporting to the VP, Quality Assurance & Compliance, this position will play a key role in developing and maintaining contract manufacturer supplier relationships and will work both collaboratively and independently to manage the supplier approval, assess supplier performance and manage customer expectations.

Responsibilities:
* Leads qualification and ongoing monitoring of contract manufactured and allied suppliers in all quality-related matters, including but not limited to, facility qualification, auditing, quality process definition, and finished product quality evaluation/monitoring/issue resolution.
* Develops and initiates standards and methods for inspection, testing, and evaluation for contract manufactured and allied products to ensure products comply with specifications.
* Evaluates international rules pertaining to food safety, regulatory and import when working with international co-manufacturers
* Assists in developing, implementing, communicating, and helping the global sourcing department to keep the SOP's, best practices, and work instructions required by the company's Quality Management system.
* Develops and implements methods and procedures for disposition of non-conforming materials and devises methods to assess cost and responsibility.
* Works cross-functionally to identify process improvements, manufacturing non-conformance, solving customer complaints related to co-manufactured products and determining root cause and corrective actions.
* Manages projects by leading and directing cross-functional teams and managing communication and project accountability including commercialization processes.
* Maintains raw material specifications, supplier management, and supplier compliance documentation and implementation of systematized tracking in Supply Chain Management and Quality Management systems as needed.
* Evaluates potential and existing manufacturers for their ability to comply with relevant regulatory requirements to include FSMA compliance, where applicable, GFSI system/audit compliance, documentation compliance (programs, procedures/SOP's, etc. for food safety systems.
* Accompanies cross-functional teams on plant visits to provide technically oriented input and audit Food Safety/ Security/Regulatory documentation. Responsible to ensure that the facility is compliant with S&D requirements and implementation of relevant quality program.
* Conducts, directs and documents product evaluations for new and existing products for Global Sourcing. Works on establishing inbound quality evaluation program for all incoming products, maintains documentation based on risk analysis, drives root cause analysis and establishes corrective/ preventive action where needed.
* Leads Customer corrective actions as necessary
* Leads commercialization and CQV(commissioning, qualification, verification) process for new product initiatives.
* Manages raw material supplier/contract manufactured/allied evaluation program by tracking supplier performance related to customer complaints, ongoing quality, documentation compliance, and others as needed.
* Evaluates new ingredients to ensure absence of allergens, absence of gluten, supplied by a GFSI certified supplier, and Kosher certified.
* Travel: Up to 25% travel is anticipated with this role.
3610
First
Qualifications:
* Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Engineering, Chemistry or other relevant degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred
* Experience in quality assurance and with food safety programs in a food-manufacturing environment and with FDA rules and regulations preferred
* Working knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Food Safety, Food Security, Food Defense, HACCP, HARPC, FSMA, Process controls and other technical aspects of food manufacturing preferred
* Experience and knowledge with computer-based quality management and tracking systems, including Microsoft Office-based database systems
* Experience with developing statistically significant sampling plans and executing sample comparisons for organoleptic evaluation (e.g. Triangle testing, duo-trio, difference from control, paired comparison etc.) preferred
* Ability to write/audit SOPs to ensure compliance to food safety requirements preferred
* Knowledge of a variety of food processing environments including Aseptic, Hot Fill, Thermal process and emerging technologies preferred
* Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Certification preferred
* Ability to work cross-functionally and in teams in a variety of fast-moving situations and markets -- responding quickly to information requests from internal and external customers
* Sensory/cupping experience within beverage industry
* Ability to communicate effectively at all levels in the organization

Equal Opportunity Employer/Vets/Disabled