Manager, Quality, Food Safety & Continuous Improvement - West

Lantic Inc.; Taber; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Lantic Inc. is seeking an experienced leader to transform and elevate its Quality organization, spanning Taber and Vancouver facilities. You will drive strategic, cross-functional improvements and partner with Operations to deliver measurable performance gains.

The role requires coaching and developing talent, managing continuous improvement initiatives, and maintaining rigorous quality and regulatory standards. Travel between sites is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Business Administration, Food Science, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience managing teams.
• Experience leading in manufacturing, preferably food or pharmaceutical.
• Experience in quality, operations, or continuous improvement leadership.
• Experience with unionized workforces is a strong asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead Quality, Food Safety, and Continuous Improvement teams across the Western region.
• Develop, coach, and inspire managers while fostering accountability and high performance.
• Serve as a strategic business partner to Operations leadership to improve site performance.
• Lead regional continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Influence business decisions through data-driven insights and KPIs.
• Promote best practices and process harmonization across sites.
• Oversee non-conformance management, investigations, corrective actions, and improvement plans.
• Participate in leadership committees and contribute to strategic priorities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and sustainable performance.
• Ensure compliance with quality, food safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Support deployment of organizational transformation initiatives and harmonized processes.

Skills

Leadership

Change management

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Talent development

Communication

Data-driven decisions

Travel readiness

Multi-site leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree (Engineering/Science/Business/Food Science)

Job description

JOB SUMMARY:

Lantic is transforming its Quality organization to become a true strategic partner to Operations. As part of the evolution of our national structure, we are seeking an experienced and inspiring leader recognized for the ability to engage teams, develop talent, and drive positive organizational change.

Reporting to the Corporate Director, Quality & Food Safety, this role will provide strategic and operational leadership for Quality, Food Safety, and Continuous Improvement across our Taber and Vancouver facilities. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned leader to make a significant impact on organizational performance while playing a key role in the transformation of our national Quality organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the Quality, Food Safety, and Continuous Improvement teams across the Western region;
• Develop, coach, and inspire managers and teams while fostering a culture of accountability and high performance;
• Serve as a strategic business partner to Operations leadership to improve overall site performance;
• Lead regional continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence initiatives;
• Influence business decisions through data-driven insights and key performance indicator;
• Promote best practices and process harmonization across sites;
• Oversee non-conformance management, investigations, corrective actions, and improvement plans;
• Participate in leadership committees and contribute to the development of the company's strategic priorities;
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and sustainable performance;
• Ensure compliance with quality, food safety, and regulatory requirements;
• Support the deployment of organizational transformation initiatives and strategic objectives;
• Collaborate with national functions to implement harmonized processes and best practices across Canada.

QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Business Administration, Food Science, or a related field;
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience managing teams;
• Significant experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably within the food or pharmaceutical industry;
• Experience leading a unionized workforce is strongly preferred;
• Experience in Quality, Operations, Production, Continuous Improvement, Engineering, or related manufacturing leadership functions;
• Proven success leading organizational change and transformation initiatives;
• Multi-site leadership experience is considered a strong asset;
• Transformational leadership;
• Exceptional ability to influence, align, and engage cross-functional stakeholder groups;
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills;
• Strategic mindset combined with a hands-on operational approach;
• Demonstrated success in talent development and succession planning;
• Strong change management capabilities;
• Results-oriented mindset with a passion for continuous improvement;
• Bilingualism (English and French) considered an asset;
• Ability to travel regularly between Taber and Vancouver.