Director, Food Safety & Supplier Assurance

ArdoVLM Foods Inc.; Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Hybrid; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Health/Dental insurance

2 days/week work from home

gym membership assistance

Paid vacation 4 weeks

Job summary

ArdoVLM Foods Inc. seeks a Director, Food Safety & Supplier Assurance to provide strategic leadership for food safety, supplier assurance and regulatory compliance across a global supplier network.

You will translate technical and regulatory requirements into practical business solutions and drive accountability through influence and collaboration. The role reports to Executive Leadership and partners with Procurement, Sales, Operations and Logistics to protect consumers, maintain confidence and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, safety, microbiology or QA.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership in food safety, supplier quality or regulatory compliance.
• Strong knowledge of preventive controls and HACCP.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams across global supply chains.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Food Safety team with accountability for results.
• Drive risk-based, commercially minded decisions and supplier assurance.
• Oversee regulatory compliance with CFIA/SFCR and FDA FSMA obligations.
• Partner with Procurement, Sales and Operations to support continuity and growth.
• Lead supplier qualification, monitoring and development programs.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Food safety knowledge

Auditing

Analytical thinking

Communication

Negotiation

Problem solving

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/Quality Assurance

PCQI certification (preferred)

Job description

The Director, Food Safety & Supplier Assurance provides strategic leadership for the Company’s food safety, food defense, supplier assurance and regulatory compliance programs across a global supplier network. In an import, sourcing, trading and distribution business model, the Director applies strong technical judgment, supplier partnership and commercially balanced, risk-based decision-making to protect consumers, maintain customer confidence, support supply continuity and enable growth.

As the senior technical authority and leader of the Food Safety team, the Director partners with Procurement, Sales, Operations, Logistics, Customer Service and Executive Leadership. The role translates technical and regulatory requirements into practical business solutions and drives accountability across geographically dispersed suppliers, customers and internal stakeholders through influence, communication and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach and develop the Food Safety team, setting clear expectations, and development objectives while fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous learning and customer focus.
• Provide strategic and technical guidance that strengthens judgment, prioritization and practical problem-solving across the organization.
• Champion risk-based, commercially minded decisions that focus resources on critical issues while managing lower-risk matters through proportionate controls and collaborative solutions.

Quality Systems, Continuous Improvement & Transformation

• Champion operational excellence within Quality and Food Safety by simplifying and standardizing procedures, harmonizing quality systems and SOPs with Group standards, and advancing the digitalization and automation of quality processes and administrative workflows.
• Establish KPI-driven processes, reporting and data governance to improve visibility, decision quality and performance management across the Food Safety function.
• Identify opportunities to reduce administrative burden, eliminate non-value-added activities and improve scalability while maintaining appropriate risk controls and regulatory compliance.

Food Safety, Food Defense & Technical Leadership

• Develop and continuously improve food safety, food defense, supplier assurance and regulatory compliance programs in line with regulatory requirements, customer expectations, industry practices and corporate objectives.
• Serve as the Company’s senior technical authority and lead the response to significant incidents, intentional adulteration or tampering concerns, regulatory challenges, withdrawals, recalls and supplier compliance issues.
• Balance consumer protection, regulatory obligations, customer commitments, operational realities, supplier relationships and business priorities using sound technical and commercial judgment.
• Build trusted relationships with customers, suppliers, regulators, certification bodies and industry stakeholders, representing the Company as a credible and pragmatic technical leader.
• Lead supplier approval, qualification, monitoring and development programs to maintain a resilient, compliant and high-performing global supplier network.
• Apply risk-based oversight to audits, verification, monitoring and review frequency; evaluate certifications, laboratory results, corrective actions and performance indicators to identify and address emerging risks.
• Partner with Procurement on supplier selection, strategic sourcing, business continuity and supply chain risk management, providing clear technical recommendations for business decisions and customer commitments.
• Drive resolution of supplier non-conformances through root cause analysis, corrective and preventive action, data-driven review and collaborative accountability.

Business Partnership & Commercial Support

• Assess food safety, regulatory, supplier and supply chain risks for new products, suppliers, sourcing opportunities, customer requirements and market expansion.
• Provide practical recommendations that protect consumers, customers and the Company’s reputation while supporting growth, customer satisfaction and supply continuity.
• Advise Executive Leadership on material food safety, compliance, supplier and operational risks and contribute technical insight to strategic initiatives, sourcing, contracts and continuity planning.
• Support customer audits, technical assessments, compliance reviews and strategic engagements as a trusted technical advisor.

Regulatory Compliance, Audits & Preparedness

• Monitor and interpret applicable Canadian and U.S. regulatory requirements, particularly CFIA/SFCR import requirements and FDA/FSVP and FSMA obligations, and ensure Company policies, programs and practices remain aligned with evolving expectations.
• Lead or support internal, customer, regulatory and certification audits and ensure timely resolution of findings and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Monitor emerging regulatory, industry and food defense risks; recommend mitigation strategies and support crisis management, investigations, incident response and business continuity.
• Promote organization-wide and supplier awareness, accountability and vigilance regarding food safety, traceability, compliance and food defense responsibilities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Microbiology, and/or Quality Assurance
• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in food safety, supplier quality, regulatory compliance, risk management or related fields.
• Proven success leading high-performing teams and influencing cross-functional and geographically dispersed stakeholders without direct operational control.
• Strong knowledge of preventive controls, HACCP, traceability, supplier assurance, recalls, investigations, corrective actions and risk assessment methodologies.
• Working knowledge of Canadian and U.S. food regulations, with particular expertise in CFIA/SFCR import requirements and FDA/FSVP and FSMA obligations.
• Experience in importing, sourcing, ingredient trading, food distribution, brokerage, supply chain management or supplier quality environments is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead supplier qualification, performance and development programs and make practical decisions in complex global supply chains.
• Commercial mindset with strong analytical, communication, negotiation, facilitation and problem-solving skills; able to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Industry certifications such as PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner, BRCGS, ASQ or related credentials are considered an asset.
• Part of the annual discretionary bonus plan
• 4 weeks paid vacation per year
• Health/Dental insurance coverage (100% of premiums paid by the company)
• Telus Virtual Health Care Telemedicine
• Employee Assistance Program - EAP
• 5 personal/sick days per year
• 2 days per week Work from Home, 3 days in the office (expected in office FT to train for first 8-10 weeks)
• 100% subsidized gym membership to Fit Form West Island
• Half a day off on your birthday
• Flex Friday working hours (end day at 1 pm during summer months, 3 pm all other months)
• Casual-professional work environment
• Weekly fresh fruit program in the office
• Free onsite parking with free electric car charging stations
• Dynamic work environment in a fast-paced, growing international company