US/CAN Sr. Quality Operations Manager

About the Opportunity

Lead the Driscoll's Quality Operations function for the United States and Canada. Key leader in the attainment of the Driscoll's Mission of delighting our berry consumers in alignment with our berry growers. Provides leadership, expertise and oversight to ensure the delivery of the highest quality berries. Oversees a full-time and seasonal workforce across the entire quality network wich includes Driscoll's owned, grower-owned, and 3PL facilities. Reports to the Director of Quality Operations DOTA and is part of the Supply Chain function. This role is also responsible for developing, planning, leading and implementing geography-wide strategies and innovative operational initiatives that drive longer-term change and that promote consistently higher quality and flavor. Engages all key stakeholders and contributes to market success by connecting company quality strategies and goals throughout the supply chain and collaborating with internal and external business partners.

 Responsibilities

• Oversees and leads regional Quality Managers across all Driscoll’s sites in a US and Canada.
• Ensures that Driscoll’s quality grading requirements are applied accurately and consistently.
• Focuses on the integrity and accuracy of Driscoll’s Product Quality (PQ) and Pay for Quality (PFQ) processes.
• Directs the day-to-day activities of staff to ensure defined objectives are met.
• Manages, develops and supports regional Quality Managers toward increasing levels of responsibility, operational efficiency improvement, critical initiatives, and quality and project goals.
• Ensures effective structures, processes, jobs, and performance management systems are in place.
• Develop Quality strategies and regional goals and monitor progress of goal completion.
• Provide quality performance analyses to support fruit specification changes in response to dynamic conditions in the field.
• Establishes and drives short, mid, and long-term quality improvement plans.
• Responsible for the region’s Quality budget development, planning of expenses aligned to the region’s budget and review.
• Maintain communication with internal departments and stakeholders to evaluate and share the quality performance of the countries. Work closely with and provide support to District management. Work with Driscoll’s Market group to analyze in-market quality performance.
• Support customer relationship building efforts and respond to their quality inquiries. Maintain relationships and engage with key customers, including visiting customers’ sites, Distribution Centers (DCs) and/or stores and obtaining feedback on customer perspectives. Work closely with In-market Quality personnel to assess product performance.
• Advise the Director of Quality Operations, District General Managers and the District Quality Managers of any situation that may need attention or involvement.
• Applies and ensures implementation of the Quality Management System (QMS).
• Provides quality subject matter expertise and guidance to colleagues throughout Driscoll’s.
• Other duties as assigned.

Candidate Profile

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in agriculture, quality, food science or related discipline
• 7-10 years of work experience in a fresh packing/shipping environment.
• The Sr. Manager should be self-motivated and able to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision.
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, along with advanced interpersonal skills are necessary.
• The ability to balance multiple work assignments across a large geographic footprint is required as well as prioritizing duties in a changing environment while still meeting business objectives.
• Proven leadership abilities; strong organizational skills and the ability to set and achieve goals as well as influence people.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and empower team members to achieve optimum potential and support corporate objectives.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels in the organization and influence change in areas where there are not direct reporting relationships.
• Bilingual English/Spanish. .
• The ability to travel up to 60% of the time during peak season is required.
• A valid passport and driver’s license, and the ability to travel internationally without restrictions required.
• ASQ membership and certification (Certified Manager of Quality, CQA, CQE, Six Sigma Green Belt, etc.) is preferred.
• Experience with GMP and ISO9001 is preferred.

Compensation & Benefits:

The following information is provided in good faith as a general description of the salary range and benefits for the position posted. The actual compensation offered to the successful candidate is dependent upon experience, skills, education, work location, internal pay equity, and other objective job-related factors.

Salary Range estimated for the US/CAN Sr. Quality Operations Manager: $123,700 to $155,000 USD.

Driscoll’s is committed to a culture of care and offers an attractive benefits package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability coverage for positions working more than 30 hours per week. Other benefits include: 401(k) with employer match, profit-sharing participation, paid sick time, paid vacation, paid personal and family care leave, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP). More detailed information regarding the benefits package, will be shared during the application process.