Quality & Food Safety Leader

JOB DESCRIPTIONPosition Summary This position is responsible for ensuring theproduction of safe, high-quality food products in compliance withregulatory, customer, and company standards. This role leads thefacility's food safety and quality programs, oversees compliancewith HACCP, FSMA, and GFSI requirements, and provides leadership toQA and sanitation teams to maintain continuous improvement inquality systems and plant hygiene.Essential FunctionsQuality Assurance & Compliance Manage and maintain the plant's QualityManagement System (QMS) to meet internal, customer, and third-partyaudit requirements.Oversee daily QA operationsincluding product testing, process verification, and documentationreview.Lead and coordinate internal, customer,and regulatory audits (FDA, USDA, State,GFSI).Investigate non-conformances, implementroot cause analysis, and ensure timely corrective and preventiveactions (CAPAs).Ensure compliance withlabeling, allergen control, and traceabilityrequirements.Maintain accurate and completequality and production records in compliance with regulatorystandards.Food Safety &HACCPServe as the plant's PCQI(Preventive Controls QualifiedIndividual).Oversee implementation,verification, and validation of food safety programs includingHACCP, FSMA Preventive Controls, environmental monitoring, andsupplier verification.Lead the Food SafetyTeam and ensure effective communication of food safety objectivesacross departments.Monitor trends inmicrobiological results, environmental swabs, and product testingto proactively identify risks.Leadership & Training Develop and deliver employee training onGMPs, food safety, allergen control, sanitation, and qualityawareness.Promote a culture of food safety andcontinuous improvement throughout thefacility.Collaborate cross-functionally withProduction, Maintenance, and Sanitation teams to ensure alignmentwith quality objectives.Continuous ImprovementAnalyzeprocess data to identify opportunities for quality improvement andwaste reduction.Support implementation ofinitiatives related to product quality andsafety.Recommend and validate changes toformulations, processes, or equipment to improve qualityperformance.CompetenciesPage BreakProblemSolving/AnalysisWorksindependentlyDependableStrong CommunicationSkillsTeamworkInnovativeComputerSkillsTimeManagement/InitiativeAttentive todetailTrainablePage BreakSupervisoryResponsibilityThis position will havedirect supervisory responsibility for a portion of the QualityAssurance team.WorkEnvironmentThis job operates in a plantenvironment and office. While performing the duties of this job,the employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborneparticles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. Exposed toextreme temperature variations. The noise level in the workenvironment and job sites can be loud.Physical DemandsThephysical demands for this position are approximately 60% active and40% sedentary work. While performing the duties of this job, theemployee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employeefrequently will need to sit, stand, walk and climb stairs. Theemployee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds andoccasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.Position Type/Expected Hours of Work This is a full-time position. Typical scheduleis Monday through Friday with occasional evening and weekend workpossible based on specific project needs.TravelLess than tenpercent travel expected for this position.Required Education, Experience &CertificationsBachelor'sdegree in related field and/or a minimum of 10 years' experience infood manufacturing quality assurance and/or sanitation leadership.Knowledge of food safety regulations including HACCP, GMP, FSMA andSQF. Strong leadership and team management experience. Ability toconduct audits, troubleshoot quality issues and implementimprovements.PreferredEducation , Experience &CertificationsMaster'sdegree in food science. Bilingual in English/Spanish. PreventiveControls Qualified Individual certification.Other DutiesPleasenote this job description is not designed to cover or contain acomprehensive listing of responsibilities, duties or tasks that arerequired of the employee for this job. Responsibilities, duties andtasks may change at any time with or without notice.Monday - Friday; night or weekends as needed forprojects8:00 am - 5:00 pm