QA Lead Jobs in Kansas

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!

A day in the life…

As the Quality Assurance Supervisor, you will be responsible for overseeing all quality-related initiatives, with a primary focus on production, warehousing, and logistics operations at the Russell Stover Chocolate site. Your role includes developing, implementing, and monitoring programs to manage and enhance product quality. You will also supervise all QA Technicians across all shifts, lead the Daily QA PCS, and support the FSQA Manager on related initiatives. This position will primarily be on the second shift; however, there may be occasions where support on the first shift is required to facilitate your development and assist the team.

What you will be doing…

• Verification of quality programs performed by the different departments and individuals at the site.
• Lead Quality Technicians, Batch Technicians and Team Leads.
• Lead in Quality initiatives to advance the department and company.
• Support for food safety and quality audits.
• Maintain and implement quality standards and procedures to meet Russell Stover Standards. Conduct process and procedure audits and implement corrective actions to ensure compliance.
• Perform inspections on packaging materials, semi-finished and finished products. Lead improvement initiatives in non-conformances, partnering with other departments such as Procurement, Operations, Industrial Performance, Research and Development.
• Responsible for making impromptu decisions regarding manufacturing defects, packaging defects, and overall quality issues that arise on a daily basis, providing daily and weekly reports to management.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to manage potential non-conformances by isolating product, following HOLD procedures, investigating, determining disposition, and ensuring full documentation for traceability.
• Support QA department on meeting all standards and requirements including AIB, GFSI, FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act), local and federal regulations as well as the industry’s best practices.
• Cross training in the related Quality positions to assist in backshift receiving and analytical activities, as well as supporting quality and food safety functions, providing quality training to other departments.
• Maintain systems for all inspection/audit records and ensure all product information remains accurate, complete, consistent and timely.
• Document and communicate quality issues, trend analysis, and provide corrective action for the resolution of quality issues.
• Responsible for supervising, coaching, and developing all QA Technicians in all shifts.
• Ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines during plant visits to support product quality and uphold food safety standards.
• Complete and follow FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the company’s food safety and quality objectives.
• Promptly report any observed or suspected issues that may impact food safety, quality, or compliance to the designated plant personnel, to support timely corrective actions and maintain compliance.
• Actively contributes to the continuous improvement of the company’s Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.

Lindt production Way (LPW)

• Participate in LPW pillars and teams and support continuous improvement initiatives as needed.
• Follow LPW methodology (TPM) in order to monitor and report production (PCS) and continuously improve processes to reduce defects, applying lean methodology using tools such as 5S, 5 Why, Kaizen, etc

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

Do you have what it takes?
(Basic Qualifications)

• BS degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Engineering, Nutrition, Biology, or related field (Or an equivalent combination of education and experience)
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Food Safety & Quality experience in a food production environment.
• Formal training in basic to intermediary food safety/regulatory, and Preventive Control Certified Individual (PCQI)
• Working knowledge of regulatory and quality system requirements – Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001), AIB, HACCP, Good Manufacturing Process (GMP).
• Champion for food safety & quality.
• Strong people management skills. Ability to lead, coach and mentor direct reports.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation.
• Leads by example.
• Collaboration with other departments and people.
• Drives for timely results.
• Strong problem solving/troubleshooting skills with continuous improvement tools (FMDA, RCA, project management).
• Statistical Process Control.
• Understanding of sanitation and related practices.
• Strong auditing/assessment skills.
• Solid understanding of a production/manufacturing environment.
• Proficient in MS Office applications and productivity tool.
• Detail oriented.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Must be able to differentiate between colors and shifts in colors.

Experience Life at Russell Stover Plants!

• Safety First: Your well-being is our top priority, and we’ve got you covered with protective gear. On day one, you’ll dive into Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training, and we’ll keep you on your toes with daily safety tips to ensure you’re always in the know!
• Surroundings: Get ready to work alongside cutting-edge equipment like automated packing machines, forklifts, electric pallet jacks, and those irresistible chocolate candy banks/steels – it’s a dynamic environment where every day brings something new!
• Active & Engaging Work: Whether you’re on your feet for extended periods, moving around, climbing ladders, or lifting up to 50 lbs, there’s never a dull moment. This is a place where you’ll stay on the move!
• Comfortable Climate: In most roles, you will be comfortable year-round with our climate-controlled environment.
• Appealing Smells: The air is filled with sweet aromas of chocolate, and by the time your shift ends, you might just leave smelling like chocolate!
• Dress to Impress (Food Safety Style): A simple yet important dress code ensures safety and hygiene, following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to keep everything running smoothly.
• Allergens: You will be exposed to a variety of ingredients that may be considered food allergens like nuts, milk, and more.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.