Regional Director of Quality

Company Description

Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods. Our activities span the entire value chain from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines, we leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve our customers and consumers around the world. Structured as a matrix organization of six geographical regions and ten platforms, Louis Dreyfus Company is active in over 100 countries and employs approximately 18,000 people globally.

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities/Essential Functions

· Assist in managing the functions of the QA procedures and personnel at each location within North America.

· Administer QA policies, procedures and programs within North America.

· Develop and administer a continuous improvement plan for both QA procedures and personnel.

· Works with the QA staff region wide to ensure they hold the proper certifications and training to perform their jobs.

· Works with local plant laboratory personnel to review plant operations for potential process / procedural improvements for higher yields and / or costs savings that could result from better / timelier laboratory analysis.

· Works with and manages third-party lab relationships.

· Develop and maintain a library of customer statements for all NA sites, in conjunction with regional quality manager, facility quality manager and Wilton legal (as necessary) and standardize as much as possible.

· Transmit standard statements and completed questionnaires (after review by QA manager) to customers.

· Receive starting materials nonconformance reports from facility QA and enter into the ISN Procurement database to be used for supplier scorecards. (Food safety/quality and other nonconformance incidents such as late arrival or failed arrival, wrong item, damaged in transit, etc.)

· Coordinate creation and approval process for starting materials specifications and maintain on regional SharePoint libraries.

· Work with procurement to review submitted supplier approval documents and maintain document library for supplier qualifications and maintain list of approved suppliers.

· Review supplier material specifications and maintain documents on supplier qualification SharePoint library. Review third-party supplier documents and approve products for resale and/or conduct on-site audits of third-party facilities.

· Create and maintain animal feed labels according to AAFCO and state regulations. Coordinate implementation with LDC IT/Compu Weigh and KSC Tax.

· Work with Wilton legal to keep regulatory registrations relative to food safety updated and renewed (FDA Facility Registrations, etc.).

· Perform final corporate review of customer specification reviews after commercial and facility reviews are completed.

· Review facility trial protocols and costs analyses for accuracy, completeness, and justification for the trial.

· Serve as an information resource on LIMS software.

· Liaise with LDC commercial team(s) and customer procurement and quality staff for audit questions, documentation concerns, and product approval process questions.

· Liaise with LDC quality staff worldwide to collaborate, develop best practices, and foster consistency across documentation sets for food and feed products.

· Be a regional resource on new procedures / methods / requirements from industry or regulatory that involves quality assurance. Champion quality efforts by training non-QC staff on best practices. · Additional projects and duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education/Professional Certifications/Licenses

Basic qualifications:

· Degree in Biology, Chemistry, Food Science or similar disciplines

· Valid Driver’s License

Preferred:

· Advanced degree in Biology, Chemistry, Food Science or similar disciplines

· Certified as a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) for Human Foods (FDA approved curriculum)

· Certified as a PCQA for Animal Foods (FDA approved curriculum)

· Certification in auditing for a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) food safety scheme (FSSC 22000 or SQF are best. BRC would also apply).

· Non-commercial Pest Control Applicator licensed

· BQ9000 Auditor

Experience

· 10+ years food industry and food manufacturing experience

· Six plus years of quality assurance and supervisory experience.

· Experience and direct involvement in managing projects that cross multiple locations.

Preferred qualifications:

· Quality Management System and Good Manufacturing Practices Food/Feed Safety Audit experience

· Vendor management experience

· Biofuels production (fuel ethanol via fermentation; biodiesel via transesterification