Sr Quality Assurance Specialist at The Hershey Company

Job Description

Sr Quality Assurance Specialist at The Hershey Company

Please note that this is a First Shift position, but flexibility to cover other shifts and weekends as needed to support the needs of the business is required.

Summary:  

The Hershey Company Memphis plant is a Non-Union plant producing products such as Ice Breakers Gum and Mints, Breath Savers, and Good & Plenty, in a high-speed, 24/7 complex environment.

Under moderate guidance, the Quality Assurance Specialist’s primary role is to serve as a liaison between Quality Assurance (QA) and Manufacturing. In addition, the Sr QA Specialist will assist in maintaining Global Food Safety Initiative certification our holds programs and our internal audit program.

In this role the Sr QA Specialist provides support to the manufacturing operations and depending on the shift may be the sole QA representative. QA responsibilities include ensuring compliance to all company and regulatory policies/procedures pertaining to product safety/quality.

The position serves as the technical resource for Manufacturing and Engineering, providing leadership and guidance in the areas of weight control, packaging, incident investigation and resolution, troubleshooting and other related matters.

The incumbent also delivers employee training and conducts product and process audits. The position provides QA support to the various Business Units across the plant.

The Sr QA Specialist must have a sound working knowledge of Hershey’s quality system requirements.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:  

Compliance:  

• Facilitates production activities to meet quality/safety specifications and regulatory standards by providing training, auditing, troubleshooting and incident management. 

Program Administration:  

• Assists the Sr Food Safety Compliance specialist in maintaining and developing programs to achieve and maintain Global Food Safety Initiative certification. Develop knowledge of the internal programs and manage the compliance to schedule. This includes, the internal audit program, holds management, supplier non-conformance management and our Food Safety Culture program, consumer complaint management.

HACCP & Continuous Improvement:   

• Conducts regular internal audits which include elements of HACCP and PEP systems, documents, and reports findings and follows-up on non-conformances. Conducts routine audits and inspections after cleaning or maintenance work. Reviews control point documentation, paper and/or electronic. Participate/lead verification and validation activities for PEP and Global Food Safety Initiative compliance. Supports Lean Manufacturing programs associated with the business unit, providing guidance on quality assurance and food safety principles. 

Training:  

• Leads the efforts to educate and train the workforce on food quality and food safety issues. Conducts and develops training specifically for plant employees and regularly follows up with employees to ensure that they understand the requirements of their jobs. 

Auditing:  

• Conducts internal and external (warehouses) audits in accordance with Product Excellence Program (PEP)/ Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) / Environmental compliance procedures. 

Incident Management:  

• Investigates and analyzes incidents to identify trends in product quality and safety information. Initiates corrective actions and communicates findings as appropriate. Uses various computer support systems (ex. SAP product tracking, Line Production Reporting (LPR), Trackwise (Quality Incident Management System), etc.) to help isolate / solve problems. Works with all cross functional departments to implement corrective and preventive actions.

Project / New Product / Business Unit Support:   

• Implements continuous improvement through utilization of PEP program elements such as Master Control Plans, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), HACCP, Allergen prevention plan, weight control and consumer complaint reduction. Under moderate supervision, acts as QA representative on multi-functional project teams or non-routine assignments. May support new product efforts from initial test runs to full-scale production to assure integrity of systems. 

 Consumer Complaint Reduction: 

• Leads improvement teams and prepares reports as necessary.  Under moderate supervision, acts as QA representative on multi-functional project teams, business unit or non-routine assignments.

Subject Matter Expert:  

• Incumbent is a subject matter expert in one or more of the following areas:  Hershey’s PEP Program, Packaging and Ingredient Quality, Net Weight, Recipe Management, Processing Controls, Pest Control, Sanitation and Chemicals, Training, Quality Standards and Tolerances, Internal Auditing, Food Safety Culture, etc.

• Provide Plant wide leadership, project management, training, and coaching, in the specified areas of expertise.

Scope of Position: 

• Scope of interaction: All plant departments/other plants/corporate teams/external contacts.

• Coordination of activities: Plant management level and below/corporate teams/external contacts.

• Scope of involvement: All production lines and plant processes/corporate/external contacts.

Minimum Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities: 

• Excellent Organizational skills

• Knowledge of federal, state, and applicable international food industry regulations

• Understanding of sanitation and pest control practices

• Working knowledge Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards

• Strong auditing/assessment skills

• Strong leadership skills and ability to influence and coach all management levels, enabling the direction of activities of teams of employees that do not have direct reporting in this role

• Strong computer, document management skills and attention to detail

• Ability to effectively communicate in verbal and written form

• Ability to work flexible hours

• Dexterity required for handling and performing tests in an accurate manner

• Ability to record data as needed

• Strong problem solving/trouble shooting skills

• Solid understanding of a production/manufacturing environment

• Proficiency in computer programs/software such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, Power Point, SAP (Recipe Management), Net Weight and Trackwise

• Working knowledge of regulatory and quality system requirements – Food Safety, Hershey’s PEP, HACCP, Good Manufacturing Process (GMP), etc. 

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: 

• B.S. required, ideally in Food Engineering, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field

• Minimum 3 years related experience

• Relevant certifications such as HACCP, PCQI, Food Defense and/or Internal Auditor are a plus