Manager, Quality

Quality Manager

Quality professionals are consistently drawn to Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Colgate-Palmolive by the exceptional opportunities for career advancement and our highly competitive compensation packages. While the pride of representing globally recognized and trusted brands is a strong draw, new team members frequently highlight our welcoming company culture and comprehensive benefits as primary reasons for joining our team. When you step into a Quality role with us, you join a highly stable organization that respects your ambitions, providing the solid job security and resources needed to build a fulfilling, long-term career path.

As a Quality Manager you will be responsible for executing, maintaining, and continuously improving Corporate Quality Assurance and Food Safety programs at Hill’s newest, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Tonganoxie, Kansas. Reporting to the Regional Quality Director, this role serves as a vital member of the Site Leadership Team, partnering closely with the Director of Manufacturing, Science & Technology teams, and cross-functional operations leaders to drive daily quality excellence and support the site’s strategic objectives.

You will provide hands-on oversight for site compliance with Hill’s/Colgate Quality Standards and regulatory requirements, managing localized elements of technology transfer, supplier alignment, ingredient non-conformance, and microbiology/food safety protocols. Additionally, you will lead the plant-level investigation and resolution of consumer complaints, driving root-cause analysis and preventive actions to ensure the highest standards of product integrity on the production floor.

A key responsibility of this role is the on-the-ground execution of the Right First Time (RFT) program to include translating RFT principles into daily site practices, fostering a culture where quality is built into processes at the source rather than inspected in at the end. This includes identifying local process gaps and opportunities, strengthening preventive quality measures, leveraging data and digital/automation solutions, and engaging manufacturing teams across all shifts in continuous improvement and quality ownership.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement site Quality Systems and Food Safety Plans to reduce variation, minimize waste, protect the business, and ensure consistent product quality.

• Drive the local execution of the Right First Time (RFT) program, championing RFT principles and establishing quality at the source as the standard across the plant.

• Champion, implement, and oversee Quality Operational Excellence and continuous improvement initiatives at the local manufacturing site, identifying process gaps and opportunities to prevent defects and improve quality performance.

• Foster a strong culture of quality, food safety, and continuous improvement by engaging and developing manufacturing teams to take ownership of quality in their daily work.

• Identify opportunities to leverage digital and automation solutions on the plant floor to strengthen quality controls, improve process capability, and enable proactive quality management.

• Ensure compliance with Colgate/Hill’s, local, and international regulatory standards; partner with regulatory agencies to address and resolve issues.

• Track and report site Quality KPIs to internal and external stakeholders on a monthly (or required) basis, using data and insights to identify trends, prioritize actions, and drive business outcomes.

• Serve as a key member of the Site Leadership Team to drive continuous improvement and deliver upon plant strategy.

• Own daily execution of key Quality Systems such as Incoming Component & Finished Product Inspection & Release, Validation, CAPA, Change Control, Internal Audits, Laboratory Management, and Documentation Management.

• Manage the site Quality Audit program to ensure conformance with standards, quality-related regulatory requirements, cGMPs, and continuous improvement expectations; lead action plans to address internal and external quality or food safety audit findings.

• Lead site consumer satisfaction programs, including consumer complaint tracking, root-cause analysis, and reduction of plant-controllable complaints.

• Partner cross-functionally with Manufacturing, S&T, Engineering, Supply Chain, and other site teams to proactively identify and mitigate quality and food safety risks.

• Administer Performance Management and Coaching/Feedback activities and provide effective career development and planning for Quality team members.

• Prepare and manage operating budgets for variable and fixed overheads for the Quality Team.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree

• 8+ years of Quality Management experience in a manufacturing environment

• Experience leading teams of Quality professionals

• Experience participating in or leading quality and regulatory audit/inspection activities

• Strong knowledge of Food Safety and cGMPs

• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive quality and continuous improvement initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field

• Certification in HACCP, ISO 22000, or SQF

• Strong analytical experience and ability to use data and insights to drive business outcomes

• Understanding of plant process systems, quality and food safety programs, and controls

• Knowledge of FDA regulations and experience with audit execution and inspection readiness

• Experience using continuous improvement methodologies to drive positive and sustainable change

• Experience with digital, automation, or technology-enabled quality solutions

• Experience implementing or executing Right First Time, quality-at-the-source, or similar quality excellence programs