Quality Assurance Manager

Position Summary

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for overseeing all quality assurance and food safety programs within a food and beverage manufacturing facility. This role ensures products meet customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and company quality standards while driving continuous improvement initiatives. The Quality Assurance Manager will lead the QA/QC team, maintain food safety certifications, and serve as the site expert on quality and compliance matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee all quality assurance and quality control activities within the manufacturing facility.
• Develop, implement, and maintain food safety and quality management systems in compliance with SQF, FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP, and customer requirements.
• Serve as the site's SQF Practitioner and maintain SQF certification standards.
• Lead internal audits, customer audits, regulatory inspections, and third-party certification audits.
• Investigate quality issues, customer complaints, non-conformances, and food safety incidents, implementing corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor quality metrics and analyze data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with sanitation, allergen control, environmental monitoring, and traceability programs.
• Train and mentor QA/QC staff and production personnel on quality and food safety procedures.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Supply Chain teams to drive continuous improvement and maintain product quality standards.
• Review and approve specifications, SOPs, quality documentation, and product release decisions.
• Support new product launches and process validation activities.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Quality Management, or a related field.
• SQF Practitioner Certificate required.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in Quality and Food Safety Operations within a food and beverage manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience managing QA/QC staff.
• Strong knowledge of SQF, HACCP, GMPs, FDA regulations, and food safety management systems.
• Experience leading audits and regulatory inspections.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• SQF Practitioner experience in a manufacturing environment.
• PCQI, HACCP, or other food safety certifications.
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma.
• Knowledge of ERP systems and quality management software.