We have a QA Manager that is responsible for all quality: QC, shipping, receiving.. everything. The QA manager has the final approval on all policy's and procedures, internal and external audits and supplier approvals.
As the QC manager, I report directly to the QA Manager. I am responsible for the QC team... analysis, environmental monitoring, etc.
The Plant Manager is responsible for the Facilities team, Production team and HACCP Coordinator.
Our QA Manager and Plant Manager both report to the Company President and work as a team to ensure Food Defense, Safety and Quality.
Everyone - including line employees and technicians have the ability to stop a product release and put a product on HOLD for further review.
We work as a multidisciplinary team (including production techs and QC techs as well) to approve major HACCP, Food Defense, Food Safety and Quality Procedures and Risk Assessments. Each person's unique specialties are included and welcomed by other teams. For example: HACCP Risk Assessments would not be done with out inclusion of the QC team, Environmental Monitoring Procedures are not created with out inclusion of the Production and Cleaning and Sanitation teams.
ONLY QA or the Company President can approve a Standard Operating Procedures or release a product for distribution.
This allows us the best use of our personal strengths and aids our weaknesses. Our QA manager would not determine what company we would need to use to replace a chilller or cooler, only what the specifications for storage are and what validation data we must have to ensure they are met. Our plant manager would not determine which Salmonella method we should use for our products or the methods of validation for them etc.