When it comes to being wild, we know a thing or two. We're not afraid of trying something new or the hard work it takes to make it happen. It's in our DNA. We've turned a family recipe into a new snacking category. And the wilderness into the world's largest meat snack business, that's still proudly family owned and operated.

We're a company built by innovators, and are driven to not only satisfy your hunger, but to also feed your journey – whether that journey is on the road, on the run, at the campground, at the playground, in the office or in the moment. It’s a journey we share with you. It’s the journey forward of our people, of our communities, of our category…with a reverence for quality and an irreverence for the status quo.

 At Jack Link's Protein Snacks, we see every moment of every day as an opportunity to move forward, to forge new ground. To realize our vision of becoming the World’s #1 Protein Snacking Company. We never give up. You never give up. Together, we keep going. Are you wild enough to join us?

Jack Link's Protein Snacks is a global leader in snacking and the No. 1 meat snack manufacturer worldwide. Family-owned and operated with headquarters in Minong, Wisconsin, Jack Link’s Protein Snacks also has a large corporate hub in Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company is made up of over 4,000 passionate team members, across 11 countries, who share an uncompromising commitment to delivering awesome products and feeding the journey of those who move things forward. The Jack Link’s Protein Snacks portfolio of brands includes, Jack Link’s, Lorissa’s Kitchen, MATADOR Jerky, BiFi and Peperami.

Manages Food Safety and Quality (FSQ) staff and determines the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of all quality systems as they relate to achieving corporate FSQ objectives.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties and responsibilities of this position shall consist of, but not be limited to, the following:

• Monitor Return-to-Vendor (RTV) items, investigate issues, determine corrective actions and appropriate disposition, and follow up with, record keeping, and reporting.
• NR response/tracking/reporting.
• Consumer complaint investigation, corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting.
• Communicate with USDA/FSIS concerning regulatory issues
• Implement and/or maintain a Listeria environmental monitoring and control program including corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting
• Manage the USDA pathogen monitoring sampling program, product retention & release.
• Maintain HACCP support documentation file & prepare for USDA HACCP In-Depth-Verification (IDV) review.
• Manage the use of chemicals in the quality control department.
• Function as the liaison between the plant and the USDA.
• Maintain and reassess SQF, HACCP and SSOP Plans.
• SOP’s & SSOP’s – Program development, training, implementation, maintenance, validation, reassessment, corrective actions, record keeping, and verification in support of plant operations & quality systems or as defined in 9 CFR, Chapter III, Part 416 – Sanitation, Part 417 – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems.
• Review, monitor, and maintain all ingredient and process control systems.
• Conduct a mock recall bi-annually to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of data gathering and record keeping functions.
• Establish, monitor and control a Quality Systems Laboratory capable of conducting chemical testing of in-process and finished products as required by corporate FSQ objectives.
• Implement and monitor training for new hires & continuing training of current team members.
• Ensure all state, local, and federal Food Safety regulatory issues are adhered to, and implement changes.
• Enforce all safety rules and company policies; provide appropriate interpretation of company policies and safety policies for team members.

Required Education: High School Diploma or GED*

Required Experience: 2 years** of Quality Assurance experience in the food industry plus prior supervisory experience

Preferred: * Bachelor’s Degree and 5 or more years of successful supervisory experience in a food manufacturing environment

                  * Education focused in Food Biology or Microbiology

*A High School Diploma or GED is equivalent to two years of experience

**An Associate’s Degree or higher can be taken into consideration for 2 years of experience

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE and ABILITIES:

Proven understanding of food safety and quality in a manufacturing environment.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills; must work effectively with all levels of management and employees.

Demonstrated professionalism, effective leadership, problem solving, presentation, prioritization, attention to detail, and employee motivational skills. Proficient in Internet navigation, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Knowledge of cost accounting.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

E-Verify
We provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. IMPORTANT: If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, we are required to provide you written instructions and an opportunity to contact SSA and/or DHS before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. We may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants or to re-verify current employees and may not limit or influence the choice of documents presented for use on the Form I-9. In order to determine whether Form I-9 documentation is valid, we use E-Verify’s photo screening tool to match the photograph appearing on some permanent resident and employment authorization cards with the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) photograph. If you believe that your employer has violated its responsibilities under this program or has discriminated against you during the verification process based upon your national origin or citizenship status, please call the Office of Special Counsel at 1-800-255-7688 (TDD: 1-800-237-2515).