Director of Quality Assurance

Victoria Newitt Recruitment Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwest Frozen LLC, headquartered near Seattle, seeks a QA Director to define and drive the strategy for food safety and quality across its manufacturing sites. This leader will implement and continuously improve SQF, HACCP, GMP, and FSMA programs while building a culture of compliance and excellence.

The role partners with Operations, Supply Chain, and Leadership to ensure scalable systems as the business grows, including new products and ingredients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field.
• Minimum 7 years in food manufacturing, preferably prepared/seafood/frozen foods.
• Deep knowledge of SQF, HACCP, GMP, FSMA and CFIA regulations.
• Strong technical foundation in high/low risk processes and HACCP.
• Experience leading QA/food safety programs in high-volume manufacturing.
• Proven ability to audit programs and drive corrective actions.
• Willingness to travel between Richmond (BC) and WA operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and development to the Quality Assurance team.
• Set strategic direction for food safety and quality across manufacturing operations.
• Guide ongoing growth as systems and product lines evolve.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to reinforce a culture of safety and quality.
• Maintain on-site presence across Richmond and Washington State facilities to ensure alignment.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Regulatory knowledge

Team management

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

SQF

HACCP

FSMA

GMP

Job description

Victoria Newitt Recruitment Inc has been retained by Northwest Frozen LLC to search for their next QA Director.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Northwest Frozen LLC, based in Seattle, is a food manufacturing company focused on producing high-quality, Asian-inspired ready-to-eat meals for the rapidly growing convenient meal category. The Seattle facility serves as the company’s primary production hub, leading the supply of premium, restaurant-quality frozen meals to the U.S. market. In support of this growth, there is also another facility in Richmond, BC, which complements operations by expanding production capacity and supporting distribution across the region.

A founder-led food manufacturer headquartered in Des Moines, just south of Seattle. Founded in 2010, Northwest Frozen LLC operates one of the largest sushi manufacturing facilities in North America, producing over one million pieces of sushi per day and supplying distributors, restaurant groups, and private-label partners. Together, the business is entering a new phase of growth, bringing in experienced leaders from major CPG organizations to introduce greater structure and scale while maintaining its entrepreneurial culture.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The QA Director is responsible for defining and executing the strategy that ensures Northwest Frozen LLC food safety and quality programs meet the highest standards across its manufacturing operations. This role leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of all food safety and quality systems, including SQF, HACCP, and FSMA, while fostering a strong culture of quality and compliance across the organization.

The Director will guide the team through ongoing operational growth, supporting the introduction of new products and ingredients while ensuring systems and processes scale effectively with the business. Working closely with operations, supply chain, and leadership, this role requires a leader who can think creatively and solve complex challenges while maintaining uncompromising standards for food safety, regulatory compliance, and product quality.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide leadership, coaching, and development to the Quality Assurance team.
• Set the strategic direction and long-term roadmap for food safety and quality across North By Northwest Foods manufacturing operations.
• Lead the team through ongoing operational growth as systems, processes, and product lines continue to evolve.
• Collaborate closely with senior leaders across Operations, Product Development, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to reinforce a strong culture of food safety, quality, and accountability.
• Maintain a regular on-site presence across operations, commuting between the Richmond, facility and the Washington State manufacturing plant to ensure alignment, consistency, and strong team engagement.

Food Safety & Quality Systems

• Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of food safety and quality systems including SQF, HACCP, GMP, and FSMA.
• Ensure all products, processes, and facilities meet internal standards as well as applicable regulatory requirements in the United States and Canada.
• Define, measure, and track key food safety and quality KPIs, and lead corrective and preventive actions to maintain operational excellence.

Product & Process Development Support

• Support the development and scaling of new products, ingredients, and manufacturing processes while ensuring food safety and quality are embedded into production.
• Partner with product development teams to integrate food safety and quality standards from concept through commercialization.
• Provide technical guidance during product innovation and process improvement initiatives.

Supplier & Vendor Quality Management

• Oversee supplier approval, monitoring, and ongoing performance management to ensure ingredients and materials consistently meet company standards.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers and partners to support transparency, quality consistency, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure vendor compliance with food safety and quality expectations through audits and performance reviews.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in food manufacturing, preferably within prepared foods, seafood, or frozen food production.
• Deep understanding of SQF, HACCP, GMP, FSMA, and CFIA regulatory requirements.
• Strong technical foundation, with knowledge of high-risk and low-risk process flows, and HACCP fundamentals.
• Experience managing food safety and quality systems within a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and driving continuous improvement in food safety and quality programs.
• Experience managing internal and third-party audits and implementing corrective action programs.
• Strong understanding of FDA and CFIA regulatory environments.
• Ability and willingness to regularly travel between the Richmond facility and the Washington State manufacturing operation.

COMPENSATION

The range offered for this position is: $150,000,00 - $220,000.00 USD annually.

Compensation offered within this range is based on factors unique to each candidate, including skills, qualifications, experience and credentials.