Quality Improvement Analyst

Butterball - Mount Olive, NC

Full-time

Mount Olive, NC

Animal Production and Aquaculture

About the position

The Quality Improvement Analyst at Butterball, LLC plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of food manufacturing operations and products across the North Carolina and Midwest regions. This position is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and addressing quality issues to ensure that products meet or exceed industry standards. The analyst will champion compliance with regulations set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and actively drive the implementation of Lean Six Sigma and other continuous improvement methodologies. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is essential to foster continuous improvement and uphold the company's commitment to producing safe and high-quality foods. In this role, the Quality Improvement Analyst will develop and implement quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency and product quality. They will ensure compliance with industry standards and food safety regulations, including those from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), USDA, and Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP). Maintaining accurate records of quality control activities, inspections, and test results is a key responsibility, as is providing comprehensive training to QA Team Managers on quality control processes and standards. The analyst will monitor and analyze quality data to identify trends and areas for improvement in production, packing, and quality control, generating reports and presenting findings to management. The position also involves investigating product and process failures at various facility locations, analyzing root causes, and recommending appropriate actions. Timely communication and feedback to customers and the internal sales group are critical, as is analyzing trends in consumer and customer complaints related to quality and food safety issues. The Quality Improvement Analyst will travel to different site locations to conduct audits, review processes, and develop quality improvement programs and procedures, ensuring consistency and compliance. Conducting thorough internal and external audits, including those of co-packers and outside warehouses, is also part of the role, along with updating and maintaining the QA site on The Table to ensure all relevant information is current and accessible to the team.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements quality improvement (QI) initiatives to enhance efficiency and product quality.
• Ensures compliance with industry standards and Food Safety regulations including FDA, USDA, and HACCP.
• Maintains accurate records of quality control activities, inspections, and test results.
• Provides comprehensive training to QA Team Managers on quality control processes and standards.
• Monitors and analyzes quality data to identify trends and areas for improvement in production, packing, and quality control; generates reports and presents findings to management.
• Investigates product and process failures at various facility locations, analyzing root causes and recommending proper course of action.
• Ensures timely communication and feedback to customers and internal Sales group.
• Analyzes trends in consumer and customer complaints related to quality and food safety issues.
• Travels to different site locations to conduct audits, review processes, and develop QI programs and procedures.
• Conducts thorough internal and external audits, including the co-packers and outside warehouses audits, to ensure adherence to quality standards.
• Updates and maintains the QA site on The Table, ensuring all relevant information is current and accessible to the team.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Quality Management, Microbiology, or a related field is required.
• A minimum of 3+ years of experience in quality control and process improvement within the food manufacturing industry is preferred.
• Thorough knowledge of Food Safety regulations, including FDA, USDA, and HACCP.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to identify and resolve quality issues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously under minimal supervision.
• Leadership capabilities to guide and motivate teams in implementing quality processes, policies, improvements, and to achieve quality targets.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to producing high-quality products.
• In-depth understanding of Food Science principles, Quality Improvement processes, and Lean Six Sigma tools.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suites (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, etc.), Application System/400 (AS400), and Power BI.

Nice-to-haves

• Possessing a working knowledge of poultry processing is desired.
• Experience with SAP or other Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems preferred.
• Possessing a Lean Six Sigma or HACCP certification is highly desired.