Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager

AUI Fine Foods, Inc.; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Albert Uster Imports is hiring a Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager to oversee the company’s Food Safety & Quality Management system and GDP compliance within its Warehouse & Distribution sector. The role partners with Logistics, Purchasing, Innovation, and Marketing to ensure alignment with standards and business goals.

The ideal candidate will lead data-driven improvements, report to the Senior Director FSQA & Compliance, and thrive in a cross-functional environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety and Quality Management or equivalent.
• 3 to 5 years of work experience managing plant food safety & quality assurance programs (GDP) and/or in an international wholesale distribution environment.
• HACCP certified.
• Knowledge of FSMA & FSVP.
• Excellent project management, customer management and prioritization skills.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel 10% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Oversee FSQA program across seven distribution centers and repacking department.
• Manage and document red flag testing, sampling, and laboratory testing.
• Coordinate shipping tests for new products.
• Conduct and maintain records for FDA, USDA audits and customer inspections.
• Maintain records and corrective actions for food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
• Lead GDP re-certification with warehouse and logistics managers.
• Maintain product information/specifications and communicate across departments.
• Manage customer complaints related to food safety and product quality.
• Manage supplier QA program and FSVP documentation and onboarding.

Skills

Project management

Customer management

Communication

Relationship-building

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/food safety

Job description

About Albert Uster Imports

Albert Uster Imports, Inc. (“AUI”) is a privately held gourmet food company headquartered in the Washington, DC area (Gaithersburg, MD) with warehouse locations in Kansas City, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Gurnee and Gaithersburg. AUI falls under the Vestar Capital Partners portfolio with affiliate organization, Roland Foods, LLC.

About The Role

AUI is currently hiring for a Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager responsible for managing AUI’s total Food Safety & Quality Management system. The FSQA Manager will hold primary accountability for AUI’s achievement of the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) in the “Warehouse & Distribution” sector category. This role will lead the development and delivery of FSQA, customer complaint investigation/resolution processes, and services within all product lines offered by AUI to its customers. The FSQA Manger will communicate with top management on a monthly basis and ensure the Quality Department collaborates and communicates cross‑departmentally with the Logistics, Purchasing, Innovation, Culinary, Customer Experience and Marketing teams so that the food safety/quality control processes and results are understood and meet internal/external standards. The manager will foster a high degree of customer loyalty through proactive pursuit and maintenance of the highest quality, and the communication of appropriate solutions to problems that may arise. The ideal candidate will have a nuanced appreciation of quality assurance processes and a proven ability to link pertinent statistics to business decision making processes while utilizing innovative approaches to resolve complex problems and a solid system understanding to identify improvement opportunities. This role will be reported directly to the Senior Director, FSQA & Compliance. As a response to the pandemic, Albert Uster Imports office employees have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, requiring employees to report in‑person Monday through Wednesday, with the option to telework on Thursday and Friday each week. Due to the collaborative, cross‑functional nature of the organization, employees at the Gaithersburg office are required to work in‑person for the abovementioned days, outside of any People & Culture‑approved disability accommodation request.

Responsibilities

Inspection and Testing of Products/Processes

• Ensure proper monitoring and documentation are maintained across all seven distribution centers and the repacking department in alignment with the Food Safety Program
• Oversee process management and product quality/food safety compliance
• Manage and document all red flag testing and quality control processes, including product sample testing, sample check programs, and laboratory testing
• Coordinate and document shipping tests for new products
• Conduct and maintain records for monthly self‑inspections covering food defense programs, cleaning and sanitation, FIFO compliance, temperature control, etc.
• Support and prepare for FDA, USDA, and customer (2nd Party) audits and inspections
• Ensure proper product receiving controls are followed and documented
• Maintain accurate records and corrective actions related to food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives

3rd Party Audits (AUI Distribution Centers) - GDP

• Manage the re‑certification of seven distribution centers according to each food safety standard level (GDP) in conjunction with the warehouse and logistics managers
• Act as the GDP Practitioner responsible for verifying and validating the GDP standards and warehouse employee training of all food safety and product quality aspects

Food Safety Assurance of Proper Production, Storage Environments and Receiving & Delivery

• Ensure that proper monitoring practices and documentation are maintained with respect to food safety, particularly for pest control, temperature control (in & outbound, storage), cleaning & sanitation control, shelf‑life management and product receiving & delivery
• Own and update Food Safety Plan as required post incidents, with compliance changes, etc.

Product Information/Specifications

• Manage/maintain the product information/specifications of all AUI products (new and existing products) and communicate to all necessary departments to maintain accuracy of all information channels.

Customer Complaint Investigation and Resolution

• Manage all customer complaints and communications related to food safety & product quality with all suppliers and customer service/customers to solve product issues

Supplier Quality Reporting and Information

• Manage AUI’s supplier quality assurance program/documents/processes of new and existing suppliers and review/update the information on an annual basis
• Own and maintain FSVP’s (Foreign Supplier Verification Programs) including current suppliers and onboarding of new suppliers

Required

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety and Quality Management or equivalent
• 3 to 5 years of work experience managing plant food safety & quality assurance programs (such as GDP) and/or working with quality assurance programs in an international wholesale distribution environment
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified
• Knowledge of FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) & FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Programs)
• Excellent project management, customer management and prioritization skills
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship‑building skills
• Ability to travel 10% of the time

Preferred

• Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQ) certified
• Excellent analytical abilities with a proven capacity to identify process improvement opportunities
• Creative and results‑oriented problem solver, capable of evaluating challenges and implementing effective solutions
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and supervising team members in a fast‑paced environment

SALARY RANGE

Albert Uster Imports hires exceptional people to perform a wide variety of important functions that contribute to the success of the Company. One of the ways AUI does that is through a competitive compensation package. The base salary for this role will be $100,000 - $125,000

This role will be bonus eligible. Based on your qualifications, previous experience, and transferrable skills, the Company will determine at its sole discretion, the salary offered.

Founded by immigrants, AUI & Roland Foods knows that diversity is the spice of life. We believe in the power of food to open minds, spark adventure, and bring diverse people together. All are welcome at our table! We know the transformative value of food in individual lives and communities. Because of this, we insist on obtaining the highest‑quality ingredients and talent!

AUI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. AUI considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. AUI is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

Please read Albert Uster Import’s California Job Applicant Privacy Policy here.

Authenticity in the Hiring Process: Use of AI and Assistive Technology

At Albert Uster Imports, people review every application, resume, and assessment. We value authentic, accurate representations of each candidate's experience and qualifications. Candidates may use AI tools for support purposes (such as grammar, formatting, or accessibility needs), but application materials, assessment responses, and interview discussions should reflect the candidate's own work, knowledge, and abilities. Excessive reliance on AI or the use of AI to misrepresent qualifications or complete assessments on a candidate's behalf may result in removal from consideration.

If you require AI or other assistive technology as a reasonable accommodation, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail]. We are committed to providing an accessible and equitable hiring experience for all candidates.