Job: Quality Assurance Team Leader - Auburndale, FL

Position Overview:
Reports to the Plant's Quality Assurance Manager and manages a shift of quality technicians and the quality laboratory operations of the most technologically complex plant in the Coca-Cola North America system. The Main Street plant operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and produces Not-from-Concentrate juices and Non-Carbonated beverages through aseptic, ESL and hot fill production lines.

The QA Team Leader will oversee the testing of products and ingredients to ensure they meet specifications. Ensures that necessary adjustments are made to product batches and other processes when out of normal operating conditions are experienced. Performs data audits to ensure accuracy of data and processes. Manages new initiatives or special projects that impact entire plant. Acts as technical consultant within and outside plant.

Five years of experience in a food or juice manufacturing environment and a Bachelor's degree or higher preferred. Experience in aseptic processing preferred. Experience in ISO 22000 and PAS 220 preferred. This position will work evenings, nights and weekends as required by plant production schedule.

Function Specific Activities:

Give direction to and supervise others by offering approaches to be used and following up to ensure timely and quality execution against expectations.

Organize workflow and task schedules to maximize laboratory efficiency (e.g, prioritize sample analysis, assign tasks, preventative maintenance).

Purchase laboratory supplies to maintain proper level of inventory. This includes discussing needs with scientists, screening vendors, placing orders, etc.

Develop or validate laboratory test methods or equipment (sampling,monitoring, analytical procedures) in order to ensure reliability and accuracy of analytical results. This may include performing capability studies.

Perform data audit in order to ensure accuracy of data and analytical processes. This may include database queries, statistical process control or correlation study.

Conduct inspection of the laboratory or laboratory procedures to ensure conformance to internal (e.g., The Coca-Cola Quality System) or external certification requirements and correct or eliminate process-related non-conformance items.

Act as scientific, regulatory, technical or quality expert and consultant by responding to targeted questions from the field or other departments/business units and providing support to branches, bottlers and customers. This includes acting as a resource for general information and acting as a consultant for other technical personnel in the Company.

Develop implementation strategies, implement, evaluate and/or certify effective implementation of The Coca-Cola Quality System (TCCQS).

Interpret data from routine and non-routine analysis in order to validate that ingredients/materials meet specifications and approve for shipment to Company plants.

Interact with and inform suppliers, Purchasing, and Company plants ingredient sample analysis, ingredient issues or rejections, and to resolve problems related to ingredient approval.

Education: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience

Related Work Experience: At least 5 years

Core Competencies:

Drives Innovative Business Improvements: Develops new insights into solutions that result in organizational improvements; promotes a work environment that fosters creative thinking, innovation and rational risk-taking.

Balances Immediate and Long-Term Priorities: Seeks to meet critical objectives while considering the impact of those decisions and activities on the ability to achieve long-term goals.

Delivers Results: Focuses on the critical few objectives that add the most value and channels own and others' energy to consistently deliver results that meet or exceed expectations.

Imports and Exports Good Ideas: Relentlessly seeks, shares and adopts ideas and best practices in and outside the Company and embraces change introduced by others.

Develops and Inspires Others: Builds and maintains relationships that motivate, guide, and/or reinforce the performance of others toward goal accomplishments. Develops self and others to improve performance in current role and to prepare for future roles; seeks and provides feedback and coaching to enhance performance.

Lives the Values: Demonstrates the values of The Coca-Cola Company through words, actions, and by example; fosters an environment that reflects the values of the company.


Technical Skills:

Laboratory/Analytical Instrumentation: Knowledge of instrumental theory, mechanical construction and operation, maintenance requirements and ability to operate, modify and repair laboratory instruments.

Advanced Analytical Chemistry: Expert ability to integrate analytical chemistry techniques (e.g., GC, GC/MS and MS) and to apply the most appropriate techniques to a broad range of problems.

Advanced Microbiology: Ability to understand and interpret advanced microbiological studies as they apply to food and water safety. Ability to understand diseases caused by food and water contamination and design strategies to address issues related to these diseases. Includes awareness of new pathogens that may affect company products and the ability to propose and introduce new assays.

Sensitive Beverages: Knowledge of and ability to apply sensitive beverage processing techniques (e.g., sanitation, pasteurization, microbiological testing).