"Valley Queen is a privately owned dairy manufacturer located in Milbank, South Dakota. Founded in 1929, Valley Queen has established itself as a leading producer of high-quality cheese and dairy ingredients, serving customers across the United States and around the world.
Valley Queen processes nearly 3 billion pounds of milk each year, producing a diverse portfolio of products that includes natural cheeses, whey protein concentrate, lactose, and anhydrous milk fat.
At Valley Queen, we are dedicated to excellence, continuous improvement, and conducting our operations ethically. Our success is built on strong relationships with our employees, dairy producers, and the communities we serve. We take pride in offering meaningful career opportunities and aim to be the premier privately owned dairy manufacturer in the United States."
POSITION SUMMARY
The Quality Assurance Manager leads quality and food safety programs, ensuring compliance with FSMA, SQF, Grade A and customer standards, protecting product integrity through preventive controls and prerequisite programs, and driving continuous improvement across operations through data-driven decision‑making and cross-functional collaboration. Executing direction set by the Director and ensuring consistent performance across their team. This position is accountable for team performance, operational results, and developing front-line leadership capability. This role plays a critical part in driving consistency, reinforcing standards, and ensuring that systems, processes, and expectations are effectively implemented to support Valley Queen’s operational and business objectives.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Owns the day-to-day performance of the department, ensuring safety, quality, and operational standards are consistently met along with schedules, staffing plans, and processes.
- Executes departmental goals and priorities aligned with company strategy.
- Establishes, monitors, and delivers KPI’s aligned with departmental and organizational goals.
- Leads and develops Supervisors and Leads to ensure strong execution and team effectiveness.
- Reinforces culture, expectations, and leadership behaviors established by the organization.
- Ensures role clarity and accountability across their team to drive efficient operations.
- Builds and maintains a highly engaged, performance-driven team environment.
- Supports talent development by coaching employees and identifying growth opportunities.
- Drives accountability through regular performance discussions and follow-up.
- Identifies operational challenges and implements solutions to improve performance.
- Ensures compliance with all regulatory requirements.
- Executes continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency and cost control.
- Utilizes data and metrics to improve decision-making and performance.
- Supports budget adherence by managing resources effectively.
- Coordinates and supports execution of projects within scope and timelines.
- Communicates effectively across departments.
- Partners with cross-functional teams to improve operations.
COMPETENCIES
- Leadership / Accountability
- Business Acumen
- Communication Proficiency
- Problem Solving / Analysis
- Technical Capacity
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
This position supervises supervisors, leads, and/or employees and is responsible for the day-to-day direction, coordination, and performance management of the assigned team.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands for this position primarily involve sedentary and light activity. The employee may be required to sit, stand, walk, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
TRAVEL
This position will require occasional travel.
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Bachelor's degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience in the applicable area of responsibility. Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible experience, including at least two (2) years demonstrated success leading teams and delivering results is essential.
PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Experience in dairy processing or manufacturing. Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
OTHER DUTIES
This job description is not designed to cover all duties. Responsibilities may change at any time.
Monday-Friday Schedule
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience
- At least five years of progressively responsible experience in the applicable area
- At least two years of demonstrated success leading teams and delivering results
- Experience in dairy processing or manufacturing
- Bilingual English and Spanish proficiency
What We Do
Valley Queen Cheese Factory is a privately held dairy manufacturer based in Milbank, South Dakota. It processes milk sourced from regional farms into cheese and dairy ingredients, including whey and lactose, supplying national and global food processors and brands. Its products are used in retail and foodservice foods, and the company works with dairy-farm partners while supporting employment and economic opportunity in its rural communities.
