Lactalis American Group is currently seeking candidates to join our Quality team in either Buffalo, NY or Nampa, ID. 

Lactalis, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to nurturing the future by providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. We produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together every day. We offer an enviable range of dairy brands including Galbani®, Président®, Kraft® Natural Cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond®, Parmalat®, Siggi’s®, and Stonyfield Organic® in addition to several brands imported from our affiliates in Europe. 

At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to building a safe, diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and we know that our candidates come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we still encourage you to apply and share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE!  You may be just the perfect candidate for this or other roles within our company. 

From your PASSION to ours

The Quality Performance Manager leads the implementation of an integrated Quality Improvement system to ensure the control of the Total Cost of Quality. The position will animate a set of transversal KPIs on the cost of Quality with the quality teams across the entire value chain (from suppliers, CoMan, Manufacturing, Logistic and Planning).

The role focuses on identifying areas for process improvement, reducing waste, increasing efficiency, and enhancing overall productivity.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Contributes to performance vision and targets definition on Cost of Non-Quality.
• Reporting: Provide a structured dashboard with trends for Senior Management on major issues in Value Chain.
• Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including production, quality assurance, and supply chain, to ensure alignment and support for productivity initiatives related to Quality.
• Manufacturing Training and Development: Train and coach employees on continuous improvement principles and practices to reduce the Cost of Non-Quality:
• Structure the system to capture all Major Non-Conformity data and make it reliable, efficient, precise and oriented towards action. 
• Trains the operational teams on Root Cause Analysis methodology
• Assess/Coach the operational teams on the RCA with insufficient performance and guide them to elaborate efficient CAPA plans.  
• Manufacturing Process Improvement: Analyze current processes to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement using continuous improvement methodologies.
• Product Rework: Use DMAIC method to highlight the main root causes and provide guidance to operation teams to reduce % of rework of product.
• 5S, CIL, Center-lining: Provide method to operators to drive ownership of their territories and initiate basic inspection system on operational standards (cleaning, inspection, preOps Cheklist, Machine Adjustment, ..) 
• KPIs. Define basics Quality KPIs with front line managers of Q dpt, process and packaging dpt.
• Basic Problem solving. Define with front line managers the basic sets of pbm solving tools (Basisc records, PDCA, OPL, QxMatrix, PSG one page) 
• Supply chain/Commercial Process Improvement: Analyze current processes to identify inefficiencies using continuous improvement methodologies.
• Collaborate with Control de Gestion/SC/Logistic teams to track efficiently downstream Non-Quality costs
• Revise the planning/Shipping cycles to detect major opportunities in Retail/Culinary channels
• Use Value Stream Mapping methodology to highlight opportunities for Non-Quality Cost reduction + gain in Freshness and Service Level.
• Coordinate with operational teams the actions plans/projects to improve inefficient processes.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these Essential Duties and Responsibilities.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Food Engineering, Dairy, or Natural Sciences required; or an equivalent combination of required education and experience. 
• Master degree in Food Engineering is considered a plus

Experience

• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, quality, engineering or related role.
• Experience in Dairy Industry preferred
• Continuous improvement projects on product losses 

Specialized Knowledge

• Lean Manufacturing basics 
• Raw Material Management 
• Ability to manage / lead transversal teams
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications or related digital solutions

Skills / Abilities

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. 
• Ability to convince, negotiate and lead by influence transversal operational teams.
• Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form
• Strong communication skills, as well as ability to work in autonomy 
• Sense of organization and attention to details
• Ability to prioritize and manage projects in a changing, complex environment

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.