1 Embassy Hotel Holdings Llc Jobs

AUI (Albert Uster Imports) is a privately held gourmet food company located in the Washington, DC area (Gaithersburg, MD). Founded in 1968, the company offers over 1,400 products from around the world. We serve leading hotels, restaurants, casinos, cruise lines, airlines, and manufacturers with innovative, high quality products and solutions to their most demanding culinary challenges. We operate a network of distribution centers across the U.S. and serve select International markets as well. AUI has a national direct selling organization and a staff of culinary experts (chefs and food scientists) adept at custom product solutions.

AUI is currently hiring for a Product Quality Manager responsible for managing AUIs total Food Safety & Quality Management system. The Product Quality Manager will hold primary accountability for AUIs achievement of the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) in the Warehouse & Distribution sector category. This role will lead the development and delivery of FSQA, customer complaint investigation/resolution processes, and services within all product lines offered by AUI to its customers.

The Product Quality Manger will communicate with top management on a monthly basis and ensure the Quality Department collaborates and communicates cross-departmentally with the Logistics, Purchasing, Innovation, Culinary, Customer Service and Marketing teams so that the food safety/quality control processes and results are understood and meet internal/external standards.

Fosters a high degree of customer loyalty through proactive pursuit and maintenance of the highest quality, and the communication of appropriate solutions to problems that may arise.

The ideal candidate will have a nuanced appreciation of quality assurance processes and a proven ability to link pertinent statistics to business decision making processes, the ability to use innovative approaches to resolve complex problems and a solid system understanding to identify improvement opportunities. This role will report directly to the AUI SVP Operations.

Job Responsibilities:

• INSPECTION AND TESTING OF PRODUCTS/PROCESSES - Ensure proper monitoring and documentation are maintained at all six distribution centers/repacking department with respect to process management and product quality/food safety; particularly for red flag testing/processes (product sample / sample check program / lab testing), shipping tests (new products), monthly self-inspections including all pre-requisite program aspects (food defense program, cleaning & sanitation, FIFO, temperature control, pest control, in & outbound, calibrations, water testing, non-conformance product management, maintenance records/program), FDA/USDA and customers (2nd Party) inspections and product receiving control & documentation.
• 3RD PARTY AUDITS (AUI DISTRIBUTION CENTERS) GDP - Manage the re-certification of six distribution centers according to each food safety standard level (GDP) in conjunction with the warehouse and logistics managers. Act as the GDP Practitioner responsible for verifying and validating the GDP standards and warehouse employee training of all food safety and product quality aspects.
• FOOD SAFETY ASSURANCE OF PROPER PRODUCTION, STORAGE ENVIRONMENTS, RECEIVING & DELIVERY - Ensure that proper monitoring practices and documentation is maintained with respect to food safety, particularly for pest control, temperature control (in & outbound, storage), cleaning & sanitation control, shelf life management and product receiving & delivery.
• PRODUCT INFORMATION/SPECIFICATIONS - Manage/maintain the product information/specifications of all AUI products (new and existing products) and communicates to all necessary departments to maintain accuracy of all information channels.
• CUSTOMER COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION - Manage all customer complaints and associated communications related to food safety & product quality with all suppliers and customer service/customers to solve product issues.
• SUPPLIER QUALITY REPORTING AND INFORMATION - Manage AUIs supplier quality assurance program/documents/processes of new and existing suppliers and review/update the information on an annual basis.
• PEOPLE MANAGEMENT - Train/Coach employees of all six warehouses on food safety & product quality aspects. Interact with all internal and external constituencies to help achieve the core objectives while preserving AUIs positive reputation. Establish AUIs food safety/product quality policies and encourage an overall spirit of teamwork and collaboration within AUI.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelors Degree in Food Science, Food Safety and Product Quality Management, or equivalent

Experience

• 3 to 5 years of work experience managing plant food safety & quality assurance programs (such as GDP) and/or working with quality assurance programs in an international wholesale distribution environment.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified
• Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certified

Key Competencies:

• Excellent project management, customer management and prioritization skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong analytical skills to identify opportunity areas
• Creative/analytical problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) & FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Programs)
• Supervising experience is a plus
• Understanding of the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) scheme is a plus
• Experience/understanding of the food service industry
• Ability to travel 10% of the time

Abilities: Ability to motivate others. Must demonstrate discretion, initiative, and follow-through, and have the ability to remain level-headed in challenging situations. Professional assertiveness is required when dealing with vendors or outside contacts. Excellent project management, customer management and prioritization skills.

This job requires a consistently high energy level and a proven ability to think quickly on ones feet. Must have a nuanced appreciation of quality assurance processes and a proven ability to link pertinent statistics to business decision making processes. Ability to use innovative approaches to resolve complex problems. Solid systems understanding and ability to identify improvement opportunities. Ability to react to situations with a strong sense of urgency.

Must be able to work independently and as a team-member within a multi-department organization. Must be able to prioritize multiple projects in a busy environment accurately, efficiently, and with a high level of attention to detail, balancing and satisfying competing deadlines and personalities, maintaining professionalism under pressure and in sensitive and difficult situations. Requires ability to exercise a high level of discretion and confidentiality (in interactions with both internal and external people) concerning all work-related information, plus the ability to maintain detailed records in computerized and paper record keeping and filing systems. Ability to know when to ask questions and when to take initiative.

Benefits

Founded in 1968, AUI Fine Foods (AUI) offers over 1,400 products from around the world. We serve leading hotels, restaurants, casinos, cruise lines, airlines, and manufacturers with innovative, high quality products and solutions to their most demanding culinary challenges. AUI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Roland Foods (Roland), LLC, a portfolio company of Vestar Capital Partners.