Verto Partners has been retained by one of our clients, a growing cured meats company, to assist in finding a Leader for the Quality function. Responsibilities: The Quality Leader will direct his/her energies to the creation and management of company quality standards in incoming material inputs, operational processing, and outgoing products. The Leader will be expected to focus primarily on scientific findings, research and development, statistical testing, and new product development. The Quality Leader will contribute to the overall success of the company as a member of the Senior Management Team through the identification and timely execution of strategic initiatives, usually in conjunction with other departments. In particular, the Quality Leader will: Develop quality assurance plans by: conducting hazard analyses identifying critical control points and preventive measures establishing critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, and verification procedures monitoring inventories writing and updating quality assurance procedures collecting, analyzing and summarizing information and trends including failed processes, stability studies, recalls, corrective actions, and re-validations Assure consistent quality of production by: developing, enforcing, and validating good automated manufacturing practice (GAMP) systems establishing product specifications and quality attributes measuring production and documenting evidence determining operational and performance qualifications Ensure rigid regulatory compliance by: building professional relationships with USDA representatives maintaining a current working knowledge of all regulations passing all audits and performing necessary testing responding promptly and completely to non-compliance reports through corrective action or appeals in the best interest of the Company determining operational and performance qualifications conducting appropriate environmental testing and enforcing controls Maintain and improve product quality by: completing product, company, system, compliance, and surveillance audits investigating customer complaints collaborating with other members of management to develop new products, manufacturing and training methods establishing vendor relations to develop and create products that meet label requirements Achieve quality assurance operational objectives by: contributing information and analysis to strategic plans and reviews preparing and completing action plans implementing production, productivity, and quality initiatives/changes identifying and resolving problems completing audits determining system improvements Meet quality assurance financial objectives by: estimating requirements preparing an annual budget scheduling expenditures analyzing variances initiating corrective actions Facilitate new product research and development by: working closely with Demand Team to initiate, create, develop, and test products through to production documenting new product development process advocating for continuous improvement of process development Promote a collaborative team environment by: maintaining constructive working relationships with every element of the Company showing respect for all team members supporting a team environment within and outside of the department establishing effective communications expeditiously resolving problems