Milk Quality Manager

About the job

Milk Quality Manager

At Horizon Organic, we’re growing a culture of passionate people driven to do good for the horizon we all share. We’re building the tomorrow we want to see. Every single day.

Joining our team means being part of a dynamic environment where your skills are valued, and your contributions make a real difference. We offer diverse opportunities for career growth and development. Embark on a rewarding journey with us in shaping the future of organic dairy!

Two generations of families—and counting—have grown up on Horizon Organic® milk. From the start, as the leading organic milk producer in the U.S., Horizon has been committed to delivering innovative, nourishing dairy that growing families can rely on. In 2023, Horizon Organic became a brand of Platinum Equity. Today, Horizon works with more than 500 farmers across the U.S. to bring high-quality, certified organic milk to consumers. For more information on Horizon’s full portfolio of organic dairy products, visit Horizon.com.

About the Job:

We are currently looking to hire a Milk Quality Manager!

The Milk Quality Manager will be responsible for assisting to carry out critical functions of both the Quality and Food Safety Milk Team and the Quality and Food Safety Operations Team for Horizon Family Brands. The successful candidate will become a member of a team dedicated to driving meaningful improvement in quality and animal welfare across our network of 400 farms. Work hours will be spent completing tasks critical for team functioning including submitting and tracking invoices, tracking on-farm milk quality data, tracking customer and supplier complaints, and assisting with quality issues on finished products.

This is a hybrid position with an expectation of 3 days per week onsite in Broomfield, CO.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

QFS Milk Team Responsibilities:

Management of laboratory disputes and the milk quality notification system for 400 organic farms
Develop and manage improvements to the milk quality tracking system
Track and submit for payment invoices from milk quality laboratories.
Manage, regularly update, and distribute the approved active producer list
Investigate, respond to, and track milk and cream tanker rejections at plants
Perform audits on milk truck haulers to ensure proper procedures are followed
Perform audits on cream supplier plants to ensure quality and food safety compliance
Other duties as assigned

QFS Operations Team Responsibilities:

Assist with advisement for rejected/returned loads of finished product
Track quality indicators for locations and carriers
Investigate complaints from within the distribution chain
Regularly communicate with third party laboratories and monitor quality compliance
Track customer and consumer complaints along with associated manufacturing plant follow up
Track key customer complaints and follow up with associated manufacturing plant
Other duties as assigned

The base compensation range for this position is $85,000 - $110,000 commensurate with experience.

About you

Professional Experience/Education needed:

Bachelor’s degree (or greater) in biology, chemistry, food science, or related agriculture field and a minimum of 5 years of experience in the dairy industry
Good knowledge of microbiology in the milk and dairy context
Grade A regulatory, technical, and scientific knowledge of dairy processes and equipment

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Strong quality and analytical skills- developed skills in Excel and Power BI with ability to apply them to modeling quality and other data
Strong computer skills with ability to learn new software programs
Strong organizational skills
Success in problem solving and critical thinking
Passion for excellence
Self-motivated with the ability to function with some autonomy
Passionate about milk quality and operations
Working knowledge of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance preferred
Travel required up to 25% or as required by project success and schedule