Assistant Manager, QA

Lakeside Foods Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation and personal time

Long-term growth opportunities

Job summary

Lakeside Foods Inc. is seeking a Quality Assurance Assistant Manager to support the QA Manager in overseeing food safety, sanitation, and quality control programs.

You will coach QA staff, manage documentation, and assist with audits to ensure compliance with SQF and BRC standards. The role emphasizes maintaining quality systems, tracking metrics (X-Bar charts), and communicating data across departments to meet customer specs.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, bacteriology, or related field preferred.
• 3–5 years of relevant experience required.
• 1–3 years of direct supervisory experience preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education & experience.
• Knowledge of vegetable canning/freezing preferred.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general regulations.
• Ability to present information to groups of managers, customers, and the public.

Responsibilities

• Direct, coach, and counsel QA personnel in daily and weekly tasks.
• Ensure proper management of held product, storage conditions, and labeling/packaging/shipping operations.
• Assist with implementing SQF/BRC code requirements.
• Maintain Lakeside’s Quality Systems Manual.
• Maintain all quality control programs, procedures, documentation, and records (including X-Bar charts).
• Determine product quality level and assign grades per Lakeside policies.
• Communicate real-time quality data to affected departments to meet specs.
• Investigate customer complaints promptly.
• Assist in sanitation verification activities (microbial, pathogen monitoring, visual inspections).
• Update and apply SSOPs, bacteriological monitoring, and sanitation inspections.
• Ensure safe, clean, orderly work areas.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and Lakeside policies.
• Review processing records for CFR 117/113 compliance and customer specs.
• Assist in audits and inspections (FDA, USDA, state, third-party).
• Assist in SQF/BRC code implementation.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Supervisory experience

Regulatory compliance

Documentation management

Audits

Inspections

X-Bar charts

Quality systems software

Education

Chemistry or bacteriology degree

Tools

Quality systems software

Job description

At Lakeside Foods and our family of companies, we're committed to providing wholesome foods to enrich people’s lives through food. We are a culture that pursues our vision of growth and innovation with passion, confidence, and commitment. We are strongest together - valuing collaborative contribution, transparency and new ideas to enable change and growth. We are committed to an inclusive and respectful environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance, and there's a seat at the table for you.

The Quality Assurance Assistant Manager supports the QA Manager in overseeing food safety, sanitation, and quality control programs to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and company policies. This role directs and coaches QA personnel, maintains documentation and records, and assists with audits, inspections, and implementation of SQF/BRC code requirements. The Assistant Manager also monitors product quality, investigates customer complaints, and ensures safe and orderly work environments across the facility.

What you’ll get:

• Competitive pay based on experience
• Affordable, market-leadingmedical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement planwith company match
• Paid vacation and personal time
• Long-term growth opportunities with a stable, family-owned company

What you’ll do:

• Direct, coach, and counsel Quality Assurance personnel through daily and weekly tasks.
• Ensure proper management of held product, storage conditions, and quality of labeling, packaging, and shipping operations.
• Be able to assist the QA Manager in the implementation of the SQF/BRC code requirements.
• Assist the QA Manager in maintenance of Lakeside’s Quality Systems Manual.
• Ensure the maintenance of all quality control programs, procedures, documentation, and statistical records including X-Bar Charts.
• Determine the quality level of product and assign grades based on Lakeside Foods policies and procedures.
• Communicate real-time quality data to all affected departments to ensure customer specifications are continuously met.
• Thoroughly investigate and respond to customer complaints on a timely basis.
• Assist the QA Manager in verification activities related to sanitation, including microbiological, pathogen monitoring, and visual inspections.
• Ensure updated and proper application of all SSOPs, bacteriological monitoring and investigation, and sanitation inspections.
• Ensure employees maintain work areas in a safe, clean, and orderly manner.
• Assist the QA Manager in ensuring all Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations, as well as Lakeside Foods policies and procedures related to food safety and quality, are followed at all times.
• Perform daily record review of processing records to ensure compliance with 21 CFR 117, 21 CFR 113, customer specifications, and Lakeside Foods policies.
• Assist in FDA, USDA, State, Third Party, internal, and customer audits and inspections.
• Be able to assist the QA Manager in the implementation of the SQF/BRC code requirements.

What you’ll bring:

• High school diploma or GED, required.
• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, bacteriology, or a related field, preferred.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience, required.
• 1-3 years of direct supervisory experience, preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education & experience.
• Knowledge of vegetable canning/freezing, preferred.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and the general public.

Lakeside Foods and our family of companies welcomes people of all backgrounds and the varied ideas they bring to the workplace. Being an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer is part of our heritage and culture. We recruit, hire and promote employees based on qualifications and merit, without regard to race, religion, age, gender, disability, marital or veteran status. Lakeside Foods participates in E-Verify.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities