Manager- Quality and Food Safety, US Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients

At Bunge, people don’t just come here to work, they come here to grow – solving challenges that directly impact the world with a diverse team of thinkers and doers.  Bunge offers a strong compensation and benefits package, generous paid time off program and opportunity to progress.  Most importantly, in all we do we live our values:
•    Act as One Team by fostering inclusion, collaboration, and respect
•    Drive for Excellence by being agile, innovative and efficient
•    Do What's Right by acting safely, ethically, and sustainably

The U.S. Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients Quality & Food Safety (QFS) Manager is responsible for managing Quality and Food Safety programs for the Bunge US Oils Organization, specifically in relation to Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients.  This position will provide leadership and support to plant operations (Refining, Packaging, and Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients Operations).  The US Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients QFS Manager will assist in mobilizing capital, manpower and other resources needed to successfully implement Quality and Food Safety objectives within the plant facilities and at the corporate level.   The incumbent will also act as an independent voice to initiate, lead, and monitor operational excellence initiatives for Bunge Oils’ Quality and Food Safety programs, coordinate relevant activities with other Bunge business units, and liaise with customers on their questions and concerns.  Additionally, the incumbent is responsible for the development of policies, standards, and procedures in their area of Quality and Food Safety and will ensure that employees at all levels in Bunge Oils organization have the necessary awareness and understanding of the company’s Quality and Food Safety policies and processes to appropriately fulfill their job duties and responsibilities.   

This position reports to the US Oils Director of Quality & Food Safety.  This position will work with all Bunge business unit functions including Operations, Sales, Product Management, SAP MasterData, R&D, Purchasing, IT, and Marketing in a coordinated approach for product and customer development.

CORE FUNCTIONS:

• Provide quality, on time service to Bunge US Oils Organization in all assigned tasks, while upholding Bunge’s Quality and Food Safety standards.
• Provide leadership necessary to implement and maintain effective Food Safety and Quality programs in accordance with Bunge internal and industry best practice standards.
• Review and approve all customer specifications and related documentation as appropriate.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with programs including, but not limited to:
  • SOPs – Organize and maintain current documentation of processes and SOPs within the Quality Management System
  • Bunge Production System (BPS)
  • SQF or other third-party quality/food safety/sanitation audits
  • Customer requirements
  • Food Safety Plans/HACCP
  • Product recall and notification requirements
• Represent Bunge Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients on the NA Quality & Food Safety Team to promote and maintain a high standard of quality among the business units, to ensure the sharing of best practices in quality-related matters within and between business units and corporate departments and ensure awareness of relevant regulatory developments and quality standards across the Bunge US Oils organization.

KEY JOB DUTIES:

• Lead Quality and Food Safety initiatives to identify opportunities for continuous improvement of established Quality and Food Safety metrics.  Associated activities will include, but not be limited to: 
  • Lead investigations and drive resolutions of Quality and Food Safety and sanitation issues
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for third-party Quality and Food Safety audit services
• Mentors, coaches, trains and develops Bunge US Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients Site Leadership Teams and their Quality & Food Safety personnel on Quality and Food Safety programs and initiatives.
• Functions as the Subject Matter Expert on Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients Quality and Food Safety processes, including research, development, audit and enhancement of food safety plans and critical/preventive control points.
• Technical support reviewing specifications for new product development for Technical Data Sheet creation.
• Work closely with innovation teams to assist in the successful deployment of new products by administering the Trial Procedure (TP) process.  This involves documenting manufacturing procedures and validating that the Operating facilities involved can produce the new products within specifications.
• Work closely with the BNA Master Data team to assure accurate product specifications are created that the Operating facilities can produce to customer requirements.
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams to establish the specifications for all Bunge Lecithin and Specialty ingredient products and work with the BNA Master Data team to document these for internal and external use.
• Work with global teams of quality/food safety professionals within Bunge to establish the manufacturing conditions and practices needed in place before a manufacturing plant, internal or external to Bunge, can manufacture global Bunge lecithin and specialty ingredients products.
• Leverage analytical skillset to support the laboratory activities in oils facilities, including ICP, GC, LC, NIR, etc. and ensure lab procedures conform to AOCS Official methods.
• Assist facilities, sales and customer service as a Bunge US Lecithin and Specialty Ingredients Subject Matter Expert in responding to customer requests, complaints and on-site audits.
• Anticipate and assist in planning for capital projects or operational changes at Bunge lecithin locations to mitigate risk of product adulteration and detect foreign material in Bunge products.  Such projects could include, but not be limited to filters, metal detectors, magnets, etc.  Establish quantifiable measures to monitor the effectiveness of these procedural and equipment changes.
• Work with Bunge US Customer Service Support group to receive and react to customer complaints related to quality and food safety, and track processes to monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions.  Responsible for reporting types of complaints and trends.
• Organize, assist with and attend on-site and off-site customer visits to explain the food safety measures taken by Bunge US Oils Organization.
• Drive continuous improvement in the areas of Quality Assurance and Food Safety by setting goals and identifying key performance indicators in this area of the business.
• Assist in the preparation, review and audit of food defense plans for the locations.
• Facilitate the development and improvement of our food safety plans to meet FSMA requirements.
• Support an internal audit program to provide assurance of FSMA, BPS and SQF compliance.
• Resolve quality issues at facility level and facilitate root cause analysis activities to resolve customer complaints and communicate resolution and corrective actions to customers.
• Reviewing facility GMP/food safety monthly audits for concerns and progress.
• Performing audits of co-packers and suppliers as needed.

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  EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE and SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Biochemistry with emphasis in Oilseed Processing or other related technical field, or an equivalent work history.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience as a chemist/scientist/Quality professional working in an oilseed processing site as well as a corporate setting.
  • Subject Matter Expert in oilseed preparation and processing, oil extraction, refining, bleaching and deodorizing of oilseeds and Lecithin production.
• FSMA PCQI certification preferred or must be obtained within 6 months of hire.
• Food industry and food manufacturing experience required within the oils refining segment.
• Working knowledge of U.S. FDA standards, codes, and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply regulatory requirements to Bunge operations.
• Strong knowledge and experience performing audits of food safety and quality management systems, FSMA requirements, and GFSI and ISO standards.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret quality and food safety audit and test results and define and communicate corrective actions as needed.
• Knowledge and understanding of food regulations (FDA, Chemical Contaminants).
• Demonstrated ability to work at all levels of the Bunge organization and to influence both corporate and plant level business leaders.
• Good computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft applications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong work ethic with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25% to domestic locations.
• Position may be remote from St Louis if located close to a major hub airport and or US Oils/Lecithin Bunge facility 

Bunge (NYSE: BG) is a world leader in sourcing, processing and supplying oilseed and grain products and ingredients. Founded in 1818, Bunge’s expansive network feeds and fuels a growing world, creating sustainable products and opportunities for more than 70,000 farmers and the consumers they serve across the globe. The company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and has 25,000 employees worldwide who stand behind more than 350 port terminals, oilseed processing plants, grain facilities, and food and ingredient production and packaging facilities around the world.

Bunge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.  Bunge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled