Manager, Food Safety and Quality Assurance at Plenty in Chester, Virginia

Job Description:

About Plenty


Plenty is on a mission to make fresh and clean fruits and vegetables more accessible to everyone. Our cutting-edge indoor, vertical farms produce extraordinary yields using a fraction of the land and water outdoor farms need. Nutrient-rich, mouth-watering and locally grown, our crops help people, communities and our planet to be healthier and more resilient.

The people and teams who make up Plenty are at the core of how we do this. We are a collaborative and innovative bunch. We are passionate about our contributions to Plenty, the communities around us and our planet, but never take ourselves too seriously. We're down to Earth, we grow together, and we always find a way. Most importantly, we are growing for a better tomorrow, today.



About the role


Plenty is looking for a dynamic, people-oriented Manager, Food Safety and Quality Assurance. Your skills and training will be applied to a new and innovative indoor vertical farming environment growing and harvesting strawberries! This is a full-time, onsite role in our Richmond, VA location.

Quality Assurance and Compliance ensures the produce we grow is safe. In this role, you will lead a team of quality assurance and food safety professionals that ensure the standards of our world class produce and farms.



What you'll do

• Lead a strong food safety and quality culture throughout all levels of the site organization
• Ownership of the site's environmental monitoring program (Microbiological testing) including vendor management and cost efficiency measures
• Be a hands on key member of the farm production site leadership team, including functioning as back up support
• Demonstrate passion and a high level of floor presence and influence on food safety and product quality
• Responsible for line management/coaching of the site's quality and food safety team including managing schedules, timecards, coaching and progressive discipline
• Responsible for the site's SQF food safety and quality program as the site's SQF Practitioner
• Participate in the R&D Strategy Deployment at the site
• Lead the quality function at the site to ensure regulatory requirements are met
• Lead and support quality standards like FSSC, SQF, GMP, HACCP, 5S etc.
• Implement a quality management system that is in compliance with SQF and QMP standards, including CAPA
• Conduct quarterly audits to confirm compliance
• Participate as a key member in the Food Safety Council
• Manage site-specific SOPs related to quality and food safety functions
• Ensure the integration of quality and food safety procedures and processes to drive quality performance
• Others duties as assigned - we're a growing scale-up so you never know what you might get the opportunity to work on as we grow

• Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, or related field required
• Minimum 10+ years of experience working in Quality Assurance, with 5+ years of experience in people management, proven track record in developing teams and leading people
• Demonstrated experience driving results and ensuring key metrics are met and exceeded
• Ability to strongly communicate across teams to ensure results are achieved
• Experience in Quality and/or produce (fruits and vegetable) experience a plus
• HACCP-certified preferred
• Demonstrated experiences in leading change, project management, and driving world class food safety culture.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
• Ability to push, pull and lift up to 40 lbs
• Ability to stand for long periods of time
• Ability to work in produce freezer environments - as low as 32 degrees
• Ability to work at heights up to 40 feet
• Bilingual in Spanish and English a plus

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  Compensation: we'll pay you a competitive salary on a biweekly basis, give you a stake in the company via equity and contribute toward your 401K
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  Health & well-being: we'll invest in your physical and mental well-being with comprehensive medical, dental, & vision benefits, along with support for your mental health through Spring Health and financial wellness through LearnLux. Plus pet insurance for your furry family members!
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  Food: in-office snacks and access to our leafy greens & new produce in development -- are you up for a side gig as a taste tester?
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  Grow together: learning & development opportunities including lunch & learns, training certifications, and more
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  Equipment: we'll provide you with the equipment you need to be successful, including $75/month toward your home internet and phone bills and $250 every 2 years to upgrade your phone
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  Paid time off: we know you'll do your best if you're taking time to recharge, so we don't cap the amount of vacation days you can take off per year + offer 6 days of paid sick leave per year in addition to the paid holidays we observe
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  Parental leave: 12 weeks off for all eligible new parents - fully paid so you can focus your energy on your newest addition