At Danone, Manufacturing the best products and supplying them to meet demand is a key driver for our plant teams.   We are currently looking to hire a QFS Plant Leader based in our Fort Worth, Texas yogurt manufacturing facility.   

In this role you will be responsible for ensuring compliance with Quality and Food Safety requirements in all products, processes, and services produced in the plant. Provides strategic leadership and direction to the Quality Plant and Plant Leadership Team, driving continuous improvement and excellence in quality standards to sustainably achieve consistent Quality and uncompromising Food Safety.

Reporting Structure:

• Reports directly into Sr Plant Director with a dotted line to QFS CBU Leader or Regional QFS Category Manufacturing Leader
• 4 Direct Reports
   

MAIN DELIVERABLES and KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

• Plant license to operate with Plant certifications for continual market acceptance and new business in place
• An effective Quality and Food Safety Management system in place in the plant, fully consistent with Danone One QMS, to meet governmental and regulatory requirements (EU and others like FDA, FSMP), Danone QFS requirements (FSSC 22000), required consumer or customers certifications (HALAL, ISO 9001) and support for registration in different countries
• A clear sense of direction and focus to plant leaders and QFS Plant team in line with Danone global QFS strategy and priorities.
• A formal Factory Quality Business Plan in place and steered in accordance with the business needs to continuously improve QFS performance in all areas, in line with QFS commitments and strategy and contributing to the Factory Strategic Plan, Factory Master Plan and Performance Driving System
• Right QFS capabilities in place in number, knowledge and expertise
• A solid and sustained Culture of Quality across the plant teams leveraging iCare, and always putting the consumer at the center
• Continuous improvement of quality and food safety performance indicators.
• An appropriate Quality Governance in all factory projects and adherence to risk assessment and other appropriate tools like change management to deliver right first time
• Robust Budget and CAPEX control for the QFS Plant department and active involvement in major site projects
• Any special Customer requirements for Plant Production are documented and met, reporting any deviation to right internal stakeholders
• Effective management of Quality/Product related Crisis within the plant according to the Danone crisis management requirements
• For plants implementing IWS: The PQM acts as Dan-IWS Quality pillar site leader ensuring Dan-IWS quality related Systems and tools (in line with Global Quality Pillar standards and requirements) are documented, maintained, known by all, and implemented. The QFS Plant Leader owns the Q pillar plant PDCA and the Finished Product Quality DMS RTT.

Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.   

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's or master's degree in food science or food technology, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Biotechnology or related field, required.
• Minimum 10 years of Quality or other regulatory related function experience within a food, beverage pharmaceutics, medical devices or biotechnology manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 6 years leadership/management experience and having delivered tangible results within an integrated management system field.
• Working experience in a processing & manufacturing environment.
• Very good knowledge of the applicable quality & food safety management systems (ISO, FS22000, PRP’s, HACCP, GMP, etc.)  and the application thereof. 

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Strong Business & People Leadership Competencies demonstrated previous roles.
• Strong Product Category experience preferred, or high risk, ready-to-eat product categories.
• Strong Problem-solving skills & continuous improvement
• Great experience in using a Risk Based Approach
• Solid experience in Quality & Food Safety Management Systems
• Good technical understanding of food science & technology, formulation, processing & equipment
• Good Knowledge of food and food safety legislation & regulations and food safety issues
• Statistical Process Control
• Digital fluency and data analytics & management, graphs, tables, Power BI, LIMS system, SAP, Veeva
• Trained and experienced in auditing & project management
• Communication and presentation skills
• Training skills
• Ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.

Personal Characteristics and Behavior Traits needed for the job:

• An individual that has strong leadership traits and a good understanding of business (Source, Make, Deliver)
• A leader with a passion to develop and grow others.
• Transformational Leadership Qualities: Sense of Urgency, Accountability, Discipline, Servant Leader, Business Acumen/Technical Capability

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You’ll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Nutricia ®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free,  STōK® Cold Brew Coffee ®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®. 

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. 

You’ll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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