Quality Assurance (QA) Manager

Pacific Coast Producers (PCP), a growing agricultural cooperative with food production facilities across the West Coast, is seeking an experienced and innovative Quality Assurance (QA) Manager to join its team at its Production Facilities in The Dalles, OR. PCP is dedicated to investing in its people and fostering a culture of service, where each employee can do their best to make affordable, high-quality food for customers across North America.

Join our legacy of talented people working together to innovate and lead our industry. As a member of PCP, you will have access to a comprehensive benefits package that includes top-quality, medical, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off, and a retirement savings plan to help secure your future.

The QA Manager plays a crucial role in maintaining our Food Safety and Quality programs in line with GFSI standards, requiring a deep understanding of food safety regulations, quality systems, third-party audits, and crisis management. This position demands a highly self-motivated individual with exceptional communication skills to convey technical information effectively, ensuring value and efficiency. The ideal candidate should excel in a team environment, seamlessly interacting across departments to promote continuous improvement and goodwill while minimizing conflict.

Primary job duties:

• Ensures compliance to FDA 21 CFR 117 and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
• Maintains Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certification with Safe Quality Foods (SQF) by maintaining requirements and ensuring compliance with all system elements.
• Ensures compliance with Food Safety and HACCP programs, training, and continuous improvement.
• Acts as contact and liaison for inspections and audits including customer, FDA, ODA, Kosher, and Halal.
• Performs internal audits and follows up on action items to ensure their closure.
• Responsible for assuring all products are produced within established quality specifications.
• Communicate quality related technical information including certificates of analysis and key performance indicators to maximize value, efficiency, and maintain established quality standards.
• Evaluate consumer complaints with continuous monitoring of complaint activity, review corrective actions, evaluate trends, and recommend improvements to reduce or eliminate complaints.
• Responsible for facility level document control and change order management systems.
• Supervise collectively bargained (union) employees at the Riverside and Downtown facilities in The Dalles, OR.
• Manages laboratory, product grading, and sanitation activities, including training to SOPs.
• Ensures subordinate development by utilizing the Performance Management program.
• Ensures that all safety rules are enforced and notify management of any issues.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience and demonstrated knowledge of food products, quality systems, and regulatory compliance preferred.
• Bachelor of Science degree (Food Science or related field) preferred.
• HACCP certification through a recognized HACCP certification program
• Have or be willing to obtain SQF practitioner certification through an accredited SQFI training program.
• Preferred candidates will have knowledge of food safety, food regulatory compliance, cGMPs, statistical process control programs, food manufacturing processes, quality control, product grading, and analytical testing.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to meet established deadlines.
• Demonstrate good leadership skills and an ability to work effectively with others.
• Proficiency with general computer skills (Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)

Physical Requirements

Frequent physical activity includes sitting, walking, using a keyboard, touching, hearing, and speaking. Moderate physical activity includes standing, stooping, lifting, and carrying up to 50 pounds.

Why Join PCP?

At PCP, we take care of our people. Here are just a few of the benefits full-time employees enjoy:

• Competitive pay with opportunities for advancement.
• This position is eligible for our annual profit-sharing bonus program.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family, starting the first of the month after you join us.
• Retirement plans to support your long-term security.
• Paid time off including vacation, holidays, parental leave, sick leave, and bereavement.
• Life and disability insurance plus an Employee Assistance Program.
• Development opportunities through online courses, classroom training, and on-the-job growth.
• The stability of a farmer-owned cooperative with more than 50 years of success.
• A mission-driven culture focused on feeding families across North America.

Salary Range: $75,000–$95,000/year (based on experience). This is a full-time, on-site role based out of The Dalles, OR.

The base salary range reflects the reasonable expectation for what the company anticipates paying for this role at the time of posting. The actual salary offered will depend on factors including, but not limited to:

• Relevant skills, education, and experience
• Job-related qualifications and certifications
• Internal pay equity
• Market conditions and business needs

About Pacific Coast Producers

Pacific Coast Producers, a cooperative owned by more than 165 family farmers who cultivate and transport diverse produce like tomatoes, peaches, pears, grapes, cherries, and others, was founded in 1971. The company operates processing and packaging facilities in California and Oregon and has a workforce of over 3,000 employees. PCP is committed to delivering top-quality products to customers in all channels of trade, such as foodservice distributors and grocery retailers throughout the United States and Canada.

We operate two production facilities in The Dalles, Oregon, dedicated exclusively to cherries. These sites use advanced sorting and pitting technology to handle high volumes while maintaining top quality. We are committed to sustainability, utilizing water conservation and energy-efficient systems to reduce our footprint. As a key part of Pacific Northwest agriculture, our facilities deliver high-quality cherry products to consumers worldwide.

The Dalles is a charming city located in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon, known for its stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. It offers a wide range of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and fishing, as well as a vibrant downtown area with unique shops, restaurants, and cultural events.

AA/EEO Policy Statement

Pacific Coast Producers is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. No employee or applicant will be discriminated against in any condition of employment because of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.