Vice President of Quality

The Vice President, Enterprise Food Brands Total Quality will oversee all QA operations, Regulatory Compliance and Audit functions for the Gourmet Food Brands within 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. This role is responsible for creating and maintaining quality methods that ensure all supplier partners, purchased and internally manufactured products meet the regulatory, business quality and food safety expectations of the Enterprise Food Brands. This role will design reporting and systems to create consistency, accuracy and proper control of documentation for external and internal audit activities. This role will work with Legal and Business Leaders to develop policy and make key decisions to balance efficiency and risk to ensure the protection of the Enterprise. This role will create and maintain a culture of food safety through training, communication and action.

The position represents a key player in our Centers of Excellence verticals that support the greater Gourmet Food Brands within 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. This family of brands includes Harry & David, Wolferman’s, Vital Choice, Cheryl’s Cookies, The Popcorn Factory, Design Pac, 1-800-Baskets, and Simply Chocolate.

Relocation package available.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Major responsibilities of the position are listed below. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties, assignments and specific projects may be assigned at the discretion of executive management.

General Leadership Responsibilities:

Experience leading teams through times of growth, change and complexity, while maintaining a customer-first mentality

Hire and develop a diverse and inclusive team to ensure that capacity is in place to fulfill growth potential and that the talent base remains relevant to business and customer needs

Provide for all staff a strong day-to-day leadership presence by supervising, developing, and motivate the team.

General Business Planning Responsibilities:

Execution of key elements of strategy

Coordinate the annual operations plan for the facility including meeting production and budget targets.

Work closely and transparently with all external partners including, third-party vendors, contractors, and consultants.

Liaise with peers and superiors to make decisions for operational activities and set strategic goals

Plan and monitor the day-to-day running of business to ensure smooth progress and set comprehensive goals for performance and growth

Design and implement business strategies, plans and procedures

Specific Position Responsibilities:

• Oversee the corporate food safety program, maintaining top level certification, including procedure verification and maintenance, training, process review, and program validation.
• Work to solve issues as they occur to maintain the safety, legality and quality of products and services.
• Clarify roles and responsibilities for functional areas and create teamwork and collaboration to drive the overall direction of the department
• Establish policies to create clarity of direction and exception management in the case of new or ambiguous regulation or internal processes
• To create a working environment that recognizes and rewards a food safety culture, innovation and cost containment
• Manage the analyzing of customer service adjustments, product issue investigations, audit results and other data to identify safety, legality and quality issues and creatively seek continuous improvement.
• Design and execute staffing structure to maximize efficiency while ensuring compliance and food safety
• Review and advise solutions to wholesale or other agreements that request QA standards outside company policy
• P&L and budget responsibilities
• Responsible for the direction and supervision of staff.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time.
• Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• A technical four-year degree in Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Food Science or a related discipline required, MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of technical experience with food and food-related products within a Manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 7-10 years of experience leading a successful QA Organization in a Manufacturing environment
• 5 years’ + experience building and managing a staff
• Experience leading a QA organization across multiple manufacturing sites preferred.
• Knowledge of fruit quarantine requirements highly beneficial.
• Knowledge of SQF certification criteria.
• Knowledge and experience with FDA regulations
• Knowledge and experience with FSMA
• Knowledge and experience with Prop 65 and testing protocols for non-food and food contact

Project Management experience.

• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Effective communicator (written and oral) who can build consensus.