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Position Title: Product Quality and Sensory Manager 

Position Type: Regular - Full-Time ​

Position Location: Oakbrook Terrace 

Requisition ID: 28349 

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The Product Quality & Sensory Manager is responsible to collaborate with cross functional partners to embed FSQ elements in projects and initiatives driving consistency and quality excellence. Grounded in science, feasibility, and business needs, act as a quality and sensory professional, working cross functionally to embed FSQ principles and standard from innovation, though in-plant commercialization, to delivery of a superior finished product customer/consumer experience.  Responsible for ensuring that appropriate and unbiased testing and research is developed, executed, and reported to help make key product decisions, inform continuous improvement initiatives, and improve sensory methods that support the delivery of consistent product quality in manufacturing. 

Innovation & Renovation Quality

• Responsible for the development, implementation, maintenance and management of all product Quality programs relating to all commercialization projects. 
• Collaborate and leverage both internal and external scientific and technical communities to design food safety, regulatory compliance, and quality into new products and platforms.
• Responsible to support and partner with R&D in the development of KPA (Key Product Attributes), as well as in-process and finished product QIPs (Quality inspection plans) for all new product innovations and renovation launches.
• Coordinate, lead, and set all quality expectations for the preparation and execution of production trials. This includes, but not limited pre-production prep, meetings, trainings, along with assisting planning, monitoring and documentation of quality attribute testing and results.
• Build, implement and lead the quality stream for the first production approval process.
• Act as an enabler with on time, hands on approach to innovation and renovation to ensure projects are successfully implemented from the Quality stream.
• Partner with Food Safety and Operations Quality to perform initial quality and food safety reviews for new products.

Product Quality & Consistency

• Establish product quality requirements along the Value Chain, the food safety hazards, the regulatory and quality risks, and the factors influencing these.
• Define the characteristics and related methods enabling the monitoring and the control of these factors.
• Identify the inspection characteristics (analytical, sensory, etc.) that enable the control of these key process steps to deliver finished product specifications targets and limits.
• Establish Product Quality Standards and Quality Control Plans for new and existing products.
• Lead Root cause analysis activities, and effective implementation of CAPA for product quality challenges.
• Define, document, establish, implement, and monitor Critical Quality Analytical Criteria and Define all shortcomings in adherence to highest quality standards of the QCP.
• Establish key quality performance measures, leverage, and evolve data collection and reporting to identify insights, measure consistency, and monitor compliance to specifications and protocols.

Sensory

• Responsible for the identification, development, and execution of industry leading sensory programs throughout the product value chain
• Implement and evolve quality sensory program strategies, develop new sensory methodologies, contribute to intellectual property activities, transform learnings into internal best practices and deliver those learnings across McCain North America’s Sensory network.
• Continuously improve and build internal sensory capabilities across the network through partnership with plants, regional FSQ, Customers, Manufacturing, and Innovation teams.
• Ensure the latest sensory approaches and appropriate practices are employed through the commercialization, production process, and end product sensory evaluations that help maximize McCain’s competitive advantage. 
• Provide input to quality strategies and key initiatives that address product sensory performance gaps and support continuous improvement in manufacturing, influencing future design / product improvements. 
• Build high quality, Innovation, Technical Operations, and Plant Manufacturing team relationships focused on engagement, ownership, and continuous improvement that drives data based insights for growth and continuous improvement.

Required qualifications and experience:   

• Degree in Sensory, Food Science, Food Chemistry, Statistics, Engineering or related disciplines  
• 5-7+ years’ relevant CPG industry experience and relevant experience with leading and manufacturing-focused sensory programs in the food & beverage industry.  
• Experience with frozen food manufacturing.
• Experience working with researchers, marketing, quality, and manufacturing.  

Key Competencies:   

• Wide breadth of knowledge and experience in sensory science for innovation, manufacturing and product development.  
• Knowledge food safety principles and food regulation
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and written, with diverse audiences ranging from highly scientific/technical to non-technical personnel and customers.  
• Ability to influence without authority, and a proven ability to influence change across an organization.  
• Proven leadership experience, passionate about creating a successful inclusive team.
• Demonstrated track record of supporting the delivery of winning products through sensory input that addresses consumer and customers’ needs.  
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills, statistical understanding, combined with the ability to think strategically and drive projects from development to completion.  
• Ability to recognize, disseminate, and reconcile information into insights and trends that advance McCain’s ability to make better business decisions.  
• Established capability in managing stakeholders across a complex matrix and around the globe through use of strong interpersonal, influencing, and communication skills.  
• Experience in managing external relationships with vendors and consultants.   
• Knowledge of Food Chemistry/Biochemistry/flavor chemistry desired.  

Required Travel: estimated 40-50%  

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McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We see value in ensuring we have a diverse, antiracist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable workplace.  As a global family-owned company we are proud to reflect the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that diversity drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. 
 
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The health and safety of McCain employees and their families has been our number one priority since the start of COVID-19 pandemic. With vaccination restrictions easing across the globe we do not currently require employees to be vaccinated, but we reserve the right to change this mandate in line with health guidance and regulations in each country.
 
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with the Global Privacy Policy 

Job Family: Quality & Food Safety      
Division: NA Operations 
Department: ​Quality NA Regulatory and Export ​
Location(s): US - United States of America : Illinois : Oakbrook Terrace 

Company: McCain Foods USA, Inc. 

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