Senior Manager - Quality, Safety & Environment (QSE) - fairlife

Position Title: Senior Manager - Quality, Safety & Environment (QSE) - fairlife
Function: NA OU, Technical Innovation & Supply Chain (Ti&SC)
Reports to: Report to - NAOU, Technical senior director - fairlife
Primary Job Location: (USA) Candidates must be currently located in or willing to the Chicago, Illinois area.
Travel: Up to 50% travel expected with priority on in-plant projects, validations, innovation support, and audit verification for compliance. Expectation to be in the office 4 days a week.
Education: Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Engineering, or other Science Field.
Preferred Experience: 6-8 years of experience in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), large-scale projects, transformational programs, change management. Proven successful track record in leading diverse teams to deliver Quality, Safety and Environmental excellence.

What You'll Do for Us

Scope of Role - Focus Areas:

> Enable QSE Leadership Across the Organization:

• Drive fairlife Quality, Safety, and Environment (QSE) leadership across all key performance indicators, covering the entire product portfolio from packaging and manufacturing to distribution and marketplace operations.
• This role directly influences the networked organization to deliver QSE excellence.

> Provide Expert QSE Guidance:

• Serve as a key connector & subject matter expert in quality, safety, environmental requirements.
• Leverage cross-functional expertise in Quality & Food Safety, Occupational Health, Sustainability to support the implementation of new technologies, product, packaging innovations, capability development programs for people and teams.

> Lead Innovation with QSE Excellence:

• Accelerate the adoption of new technologies and innovative practices by building flexible, competitive solutions. Ensure quality-by-design (QbD) integration for product & process development, uphold safety standards, & meet environmental performance targets in partnership with the supply chain.
• Collaborate with Corporate functions, other Operating Units (OUs), and franchise teams to influence the OU and regional QSE agenda, maintain KORE compliance, and guide capital investments toward QSE excellence.

> Implement Lean, Data-Driven Systems:

• Deploy a lean, analytics-based management system aligned with end-to-end QSE strategies and OU commitments. Monitor results through robust performance analysis, information management, and risk assessment.
• Oversee technical governance that is fit-for-purpose and risk-focused, ensuring compliance and clear results tracking across the OU.

> Partner with OU, Network Leadership:

• Work closely with OU functional leaders to champion the QSE agenda with fairlife partners.
• Participate in functional leader routines and annual joint business planning to align QSE KPIs and capital requirements with strategic objectives.
• Ensure QSE knowledge sharing management routines in place strongly connecting across Manufacturing Equipment, New Technologies, Processes and QSE Solutions. Active member, contributor in the global QSE forums.

What You'll Need

Responsibilities:

• Ensure manufacturing plant authorization and QSE governance compliance in line with the KORE requirements, technical specifications and all relevant regulations - all global QSE methodology, standards and requirements for product, package and processes, distribution and marketplace
• Determine technical recommendations & validation processes for new technologies and innovations to mitigate risk for operations & business.
• Develop and implement local/regional governance Innovation requirements, risk management.
• Provide QSE new Technologies, innovation technical expertise to fairlife manufacturing facilities.
• Act as technical expert in troubleshooting, IMCR processes. Ensure lessons learned are captured proactively and shared across Operations.
• Ensure QSE CAP and track progress for high, medium (Global internal audits follow up).
• Execute quality and food safety compliance in place (early warnings from Consumer Contacts, Product Integrity Program, Sensory analytics, route to market quality, external product analysis from independent entities, food safety warnings etc).
• Accountable for food safety mitigation plan tracking based on OU QSE metrics. Implement local/regional governance requirements and risk management.
• Capture and help address all food safety concerns identified through GAO (Global Audit Organization) audits or during technical visits in plant operations. Connect with Quality & Food Safety Subject Matter Experts and act properly to mitigate impacts.
• Ensure effective and precise communication and escalation processes to key stakeholders in case of food safety concerns
• Work in partnership with commercialization to support Quality-by-Design (QbD) processes to demonstrate compliance to food quality safety requirements & for post launch learnings.
• Communicate QSE investment plans required to ensure compliance, including analysis of cost, infrastructure, innovations, process/technology developments, strategic partnerships. Close collaboration with key stakeholders such as Technical Operations, PACS, Legal, SRA and franchise system leadership teams. Transform QSE compliance capabilities accordingly.
• Provide business and action oriented QSE compliance reports with relevant reporting materials and identify issues to allow appropriate decision making.
• Implement performance models and systems to track risks and mitigation plans. Ensure Technical Risk Management Framework (TRMF) is in place and connected compliance subjects.
• Work on risk identification through data analysis. Ensure Corporative IT tools are implemented by key stakeholders within Bottling Operations. Provide QSE Technical KPIs for performance tracking (Monthly Scorecard, Quarterly meeting updates, year-end analysis).
• Communicate QSE compliance inputs to business plan including priorities that will protect the business and support volume growth of the Region

Communications:

• Influence and alignment with stakeholders internally and externally.
• Work with internal functions & networks - close collaboration with key stakeholders - R&D, Scientific Regulatory Affairs, IMCR leads, Finance, PACS, Strategic Security, Legal, Procurement, Concentrate Plants, Supply Chain, franchise system leadership teams.
• Manage the tough situations where other parties have shared interests or opposing interests related to QSE immediate actions, agenda development and implementation plans.
• Communication, negotiation and engagement with multiple key stakeholders to influence and gain alignment on the short-term operational QSE initiatives.
• Connect strategically with external networks through direct connections and KO internal partnerships, connect with suppliers and technology providers for new ideas, benchmarking.

Experience & Qualifications:

• 6-8 years of experience in FMCG, large-scale projects, transformational programs, change management. Proven successful track record in leading diverse teams to deliver Quality, Safety and Environmental excellence.
• University/Bachelor's degree: Food Science, Engineering, or other Science Field
• Required experience in Food/Beverages Industries.
• Proven track record in End-to-End QSE experience. Food and Beverage Technologies.
• Franchise and functional leadership - influencing across partners, bottlers, external networks
• Risk management, mitigation and communication
• Consumer Response and Incident Management & Crisis Response.
• Exceptional ability to translate scientific, technological, quality and food safety concepts to relevant business insights and growth opportunities
• Conflict management
• Quality analytical skills
• Value chain E2E knowledge

What We Can Do For You

• Exposure to World Class Leaders: Access to global technology leaders that will expand your network and expose you to emerging technologies and techniques.
• Iconic Brand: Work on the most recognized brand in the world and be part of developing the brand's next chapter.
• Learning Culture: Access to resources such as LinkedIn Learning and management programs that give you the resources to continually develop your skills and knowledge.

Skills:
Program Measurement (Inactive); Packaging Engineering; Continual Improvement Process; Sustainability; Lean Manufacturing; Environmental Science; Measurement Verification (Inactive); Root Cause Analysis (RCA); Waterfall Model; Six Sigma; Communication; Food Safety and Sanitation; ISO 9001; Green Solutions; Environmental Regulatory Compliance

The Coca-Cola Company will not offer sponsorship for employment status (including, but not limited to, H1-B visa status and other employment-based nonimmigrant visas) for this position. Accordingly, all applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require The Coca-Cola Company's sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States.

Client-provided location(s): Chicago, IL

Job ID: cocacola-149608912

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2025-10-28T23:33:11