Own Brand Product Quality Mgr II- Food at H-E-B

H-E-B is one of the nation’s largest, independently owned food retailers, operating over 400 stores throughout Texas and Mexico, with annual sales generating over $31 billion. Our Quality Assurance Team is committed to delivering safe food and consumer products that meet H-E-B quality expectations. With a broad product portfolio, focus areas include fresh and shelf-stable food, foodservice, and products sold in our Health & Wellness and other consumer product areas. We ensure safe products from suppliers to customers’ homes.

As a Product Quality Manager II, you’ll manage individual business category work for product development, supplier and product qualification and maintenance. You may be assigned more complex programs or project work and participate in special projects geared toward continuous improvement.

Once you're eligible, you'll become an Owner in the company, so we're looking for commitment, hard work, and focus on quality and Customer service. 'Partner-owned' means our most important resources--People--drive the innovation, growth, and success that make H-E-B The Greatest Omnichannel Retailing Company.

Do you have a:
HEART FOR PEOPLE... ability to influence through advanced interpersonal skills?
HEAD FOR BUSINESS... ability to provide data to stakeholders to influence business decisions?
PASSION FOR RESULTS... ability to manage multiple priorities/deadlines and shift focus between tasks?

We are looking for:
- A degree in food science, physical, life, or applied science, such as engineering, or related field
- Quality assurance and quality systems auditing experience

What is the work?
Management / Quality Assurance/Compliance:
- Serves as a highly knowledgeable resource in assigned business categories for product safety and quality, product development, and supplier management
- Leads jointly within cross-functional team in the qualification and maintenance of a broader range and/or more complex Own Brand products or products perceived as H-E-B brand
- Conducts risk assessments to determine risk levels associated with suppliers, products, processes, and projects; communicates potential/realized risk to leader and other business leaders as appropriate
- Utilizes strong project management skills to advance development and maintenance projects by following established quality processes for supplier assessments, product specifications, and product approvals
- Performs a broad range of quality assurance activities to mitigate product risk as assigned on a project basis; collaborates with multiple internal/external teams and suppliers throughout project scope
- Leads qualification of complex supplier facilities producing Own Brand products or products perceived by customers as H-E-B brand and elevates risk or timeline concerns to the cross-functional team
- Ensures product specifications are adequately defined to meet customer/business requirements and production is executed based on the product design
- Collaborates with product development and suppliers to ensure products meet with the intended lifecycle or shelf-life requirements
- Verifies compliance of facility level claims such as gluten free and allergen programs are in accordance with regulatory guidance and H-E-B standards
- Determines supplier compliance with FSMA, CPSIA, DOE, and other applicable international, federal, state, and local regulations in assigned categories
- Ensures supplier compliance to H-E-B - s requirements and assists in developing strategies to mitigate risk for site security, social responsibility, animal welfare and other emerging issues as applicable
- Conducts facility assessments of existing/current manufacturing OB products to verify they continue to meet H-E-B's Product Safety and Quality Standards
- Conducts maintenance/brand health assessments of products to hold suppliers accountable to consistently meet product specifications and standards
- Manages investigation of product or facility related issues and ensures suppliers conduct effective root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action
- Escalates supplier/facility performance risks to leader and provides QA recommendations to stakeholders on facility status, product withdrawals, recalls, disposition and supplier performance action plans
- Serves as the communication link between H-E-B, agent and any other 3rd party service providers such as testing labs and audit/inspection companies to execute verification activities to meet with H-E-B, industry and regulatory standards; consistently provides feedback for continuous improvement of service providers
- Monitors regulatory and enforcement activities and collaborates with 3rd party service providers to ensure product compliance
- Builds professional working relationships with a broad range of suppliers while holding them accountable to H-E-B standards
- Maintains strong relationships and works collaboratively with Procurement, Product Development, Customer Insights, Own Brand, Sourcing, Compliance, Regulatory and other areas to achieve business goals and objectives
- Collaborates with all areas of the QA organization to continuously improve execution of programs and great products
- Applies and shares expert knowledge and research to assigned categories in these areas:
o Emerging risks and governing agencies related to assigned business categories
o Current/proposed local, state federal and international regulations that may affect assigned business categories, including import compliance
o Prerequisite programs, including integrated pest management, GMPs, allergen control programs, prevention of foreign material contamination, master sanitation programs, product fraud, preventive equipment maintenance
o Basic statistics to conduct supplier/ product assessments
o Statistical process control (SPC) and how it is used to measure process variation and supplier capability
- Exemplifies adherence to department processes, standards, policies, and projects in a timely manner
- Participates in work to continuously improve effectiveness of operational work processes
- Identifies/communicates company cost savings and reduction measures for assigned area(s)
- May be involved in industry organizations; establishes educational goals
- Performs PQM tasks

What is your background?
- A bachelor's degree in food science, physical, life, or applied science, such as engineering, or related field (master's / graduate degree preferred)
- 7+ years of related experience
- 7+ years of experience in quality systems auditing
- Experience working complex issues with senior management
- Experience in quality assurance in a manufacturing setting
- Experience in retail or consumer products
- Industry-specific certifications / training, based on area(s) of responsibility
- Experience in technical writing on semi-complex topics
- ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA)/Certified Food Safety and Quality Auditor (CFSQA)/Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP) as applicable to category support
- Six Sigma Training; U.S. Food Law Training

Do you have what it takes to be an H-E-B Product Quality Manager II?
- Advanced operational knowledge of manufacturing systems, product safety and quality management, HACCP / HARPC, GMPs, sanitation standard operating procedures, statistical process control, risk assessment and quality auditing
- Ability to conduct product safety risk assessments to ensure due diligence to local, state, and federal requirements
- Advanced knowledge of GFSI and/ or GRMA foundational principles, related scheme requirements, and industry specific requirements
- Ability to manage multiple priorities/deadlines and shift focus between tasks; attention to detail
- Ability to collaborate, solve problems cross-functionally, and provide proactive solutions with limited direction or input
- Ability to provide data to stakeholders to influence business decisions
- Advanced influencing, negotiation, and critical thinking skills
- Ability to think strategically and conceptually
- Ability to critically evaluate product safety and quality attributes and variables across a diverse range of products to ensure compliance with regulatory and H-E-B requirements
- Ability to effectively teach complex technical information to a diverse audience
- Ability to take initiative; willingness to take calculated risks without compromising product safety and brand reputation, provide solutions, and align to meet with merchant strategic initiatives
- Strong knowledge of production / process management, industry-level standards, and H-E-B requirements
- Strong verbal / written communication and presentation skills on an international scale
- Strong management and interpersonal skills to build relationships and work collaboratively in a team environment
- Ability to work independently and communicate with leader as needed
- Advanced knowledge of H-E-B systems related to supplier / product / project information, and inventory management; consistently provide feedback for continuous improvement of system capabilities and features
- Proficiency in MS Office applications
- Proficiency in planning / scheduling tools

Can you...
- Function in a fast-paced, retail office environment
- Walk for extended periods
- Work extended hours
- Travel (up to 30%) by car or plane with overnight stays

12-2024