Sr Quality Manager-Oils at Bunge in Chesterfield, Missouri

Job Description:

Bunge (NYSE: BG) is a world leader in sourcing, processing and supplying oilseed and grain products and ingredients. Founded in 1818, Bunge's expansive network feeds and fuels a growing world, creating sustainable products and opportunities for more than 70,000 farmers and the consumers they serve across the globe. The company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and has 25,000 employees worldwide who stand behind more than 350 port terminals, oilseed processing plants, grain facilities, and food and ingredient production and packaging facilities around the world.

The Sr. Manager, Quality & Food Safety for Oils is responsible for managing all aspects of quality, food safety and regulatory compliance for oil refining, packaging and margarine operations in the US. This includes seed and tropical oils and fats as well as specialty products (includes soybean, palm, sunflower, shea, canola, coconut, etc.). He/she will anticipate, plan and assist in mobilizing resources needed to successfully implement quality and food safety objectives at the plant level. The incumbent will also act as an independent voice to initiate, lead and monitor operational excellence initiatives for Bunge Oils (including margarine) quality and food safety programs, coordinate relevant activities with other Bunge business units, and liaise with customers on their questions and concerns. Additionally, incumbent is responsible for the development of policies, standards and procedures in the area of quality and food safety and will ensure that employees at all levels in the Bunge Oils organization have the necessary awareness and understanding of the company's quality and food safety policies and processes to appropriately fulfill their job duties and responsibilities.

Core Functions:

• Ensure Bunge Oils locations have current and complete documentation in support of quality and food safety processes.


• Identify and expedite opportunities to build efficiency and consistency across Bunge Oils locations with regards to quality and food safety.


• Monitor and ensure compliance with programs including, but not limited to:

1. SOPs on key processes


2. PM programs on quality and food safety equipment


3. SQF or other third-party quality/food safety/sanitation audits


4. GMPs


5. Risk Grids


6. Food Safety Plans/HACCP


7. Product recall and notification requirements

• Review overall Bunge Oils staffing requirements related to the areas of quality and food safety and make staffing recommendations to support changing regulatory and customer requirements.


• Conduct and/or provide oversight for regular inspections of all Bunge Oils facilities, discuss findings with the site management and work with site leadership to develop appropriate action plans.

• Establish effective, consistent, measurable, and auditable protocols for the following plant operations: GMPs, microbiological testing, compliance with all FDA testing requirements (various toxins), vendor certification, inbound inspections of raw materials and ingredients, lot tracking.


• Represent Bunge Oils on the BNA Quality & Food Safety Team to promote and maintain a high standard of quality among the business units, to ensure the sharing of best practices in quality-related matters within and between business units and corporate departments, and ensure awareness of relevant regulatory developments and quality standards across the Bunge Oils organization.

Key Job Duties:

• Lead quality and food safety initiatives for Bunge Oils to identify opportunities for continuous improvement of established quality and food safety metrics. Associated activities will include, but not be limited to:

1. Lead investigations and drive resolutions of quality and food safety and sanitation issues.


2. Serve as the primary point of contact for third-party quality and food safety audit services.


3. Develop and lead Bunge Oils-wide product recall program.

• Mentors, coaches, trains and develops Bunge's Oils leadership and Quality & Food Safety plant personnel on quality and food safety programs and initiatives.


• Functions as the Subject Matter Expert on oils and margarine quality and processes, including research, development, audit and enhancement of food safety plans and critical/preventive control points.


• Leverage analytical skillset to support the laboratory activities in oils facilities, including ICP, GC, LC, NIR, etc. and ensure lab procedures conform to AOCS Official methods.


• Act as a primary point of contact and information resource for customers and regulatory authorities to address their food safety questions and concerns. This includes acting as technical resource on emerging chemical compounds of interest (pesticides and other agricultural chemicals), understanding of MRL levels and mitigation strategies when outliers are identified.


• Anticipate and assist in planning for capital projects or operational changes at Bunge Oils locations to mitigate risk of product adulteration and detect foreign material in Bunge Oils products. Such projects could include, but not be limited to filters, metal detectors, magnets, etc. Establish quantifiable measures to monitor the effectiveness of these procedural and equipment changes.


• Responsible for setting process control and quality control standards and maintaining a Continuous Improvement culture.


• Work with Oils Sales group to receive and react to customer complaints related to quality and food safety, and track processes to monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions.


• Organize, assist with and attend on-site and off-site customer visits to explain the food safety measures taken by the Bunge Oils.


• Liaise with Bunge Supply Chain on shipping requirements to ensure there is awareness of quality and food safety requirements in bulk truck and railcar shipments.


• With the knowledge and advice of Bunge's Washington, D.C. office, take an active role in internal policy discussions and initiatives, including interaction and involvement on Technical Committee(s) of industry trade groups such as NOPA.


• Other duties as assigned

Skill/Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Biochemistry with emphasis in Oilseed Processing or other related technical field, or an equivalent work history.


• Minimum 15-20 years' experience as a chemist/scientist/Quality professional working in oilseed processing

1. Subject Matter Expert in oilseed preparation and processing, oil extraction, refining, bleaching and deodorizing of oilseeds.


2. Knowledge of shortening and margarine processing, including microbial risk assessments.

• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification.


• Working knowledge of U.S. FDA standards, codes and regulations.


• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply regulatory requirements to Bunge operations.


• Experience implementing and maintaining GFSI certifications.


• Demonstrated ability to interpret quality and food safety audit and test results and define and communicate corrective actions as needed.


• Demonstrated ability to work at all levels of the Bunge organization and to influence both corporate and plant level business leaders.


• Good computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft applications.


• Strong verbal and written communication skills.


• Strong work ethic with excellent interpersonal skills.


• 25% domestic travel

Bunge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Bunge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled