FSQA Director

Legacy Farms; Anaheim (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Legacy Farms is seeking an FSQA Director to set strategy and oversee execution for food safety and quality across all sites from incoming raw product to final shipment.

You will lead regulatory audits, CAPA, environmental monitoring, and supplier qualifications while building a high‑performing FSQA team, shaping how the company approaches safety as it grows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, QA, or related field.
• 5+ years progressive food safety/QA experience in fresh produce, repack, manufacturing, distribution or packing; 3+ years in supervision.
• PCQI and HACCP certification required within 6 months; PrimusGFS/GFSI training preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred for workforce training.

Responsibilities

• Direct development and continuous improvement of the Food Safety and Quality Management System (GMPs, HACCP, SSOP, etc.).
• Lead audits with FDA/USDA and third‑party programs (PrimusGFS/GFSI) and drive CAPA actions.
• Oversee sanitation programs and enforce GMPs/SSOPs across operations.
• Direct CAPA investigations and recall readiness; coordinate crisis management.
• Lead FSVP for imported products; oversee supplier qualification and traceability programs.
• Monitor metrics (hold/release, audit scores, CAPA closure) and report to leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Auditing

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related

PCQI certification

HACCP certification

GFSI/PrimusGFS familiarity

Job description

As FSQA Director, you'll set the strategy and own the execution for food safety and quality assurance across every site — from incoming raw product through final shipment. You'll build and run the programs that keep our product safe, our customers satisfied, and our regulatory standing solid, while shaping how the company thinks about food safety as it grows.

This is a role for someone who leads from the front: you'll set the direction for FSQA company-wide, represent Legacy Farms to regulators, customers, and certification bodies, and build a team that raises the bar rather than just maintaining it.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and want a role where your ideas and initiative genuinely matter, we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Do

• Direct the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Company’s Food Safety and Quality Management System (GMPs, Good Hygiene Practices, HACCP, SSOP, Allergen Control, Cleaning and Sanitation, Pest Control, Equipment Calibration, Environmental Monitoring, Organic Certification, etc.) to ensure compliance with regulatory, customer, and company requirements.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all food safety, quality assurance, sanitation, and prerequisite programs across wholesale, distribution, storage, and repacking operations.
• Lead all regulatory (FDA/USDA), third‑party (including PrimusGFS/GFSI), and customer food safety audits, including the development and execution of corrective and preventive actions.
• Direct sanitation programs and train staff on effective sanitation protocols; partner with Operations to enforce Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Direct the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) to detect and prevent pathogens (e.g., Listeria and Salmonella), including sampling plans, trend analysis, and corrective action.
• Establish and own internal and external quality specifications for raw materials, in‑process goods, and finished produce, and monitor conformance to those specifications.
• Oversee the evaluation, disposition, release, rework, and destruction of non‑conforming or held products.
• Lead Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) investigations for product deviations, customer complaints, food safety incidents, supplier quality issues, and internal non‑conformances through root cause analysis; scale CAPA across all site operations to ensure consistent, proactive compliance with customer, third‑party, and regulatory (FDA/USDA) requirements.
• Serve as the primary coordinator of the crisis management team during product holds and recalls, and maintain recall readiness for the operation.
• Direct the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) for imported products, including foreign‑supplier hazard evaluation, risk‑based verification activities (e.g., audits, sampling, and records review), and required recordkeeping; serve as, or oversee, the FSVP Qualified Individual.
• Direct the supplier qualification program and supplier relationships to ensure raw agricultural commodities meet strict safety and quality specifications.
• Maintain robust mock‑recall and traceability programs capable of tracking product from farm‑level harvest to final shipment.
• Assure cold‑chain integrity across temperature‑controlled storage, handling, and transportation to preserve produce quality and safety.
• Partner with Operations and other departments to improve food safety, product quality, operational efficiency, inventory management, and product yields while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Direct the development and delivery of training programs to ensure employee understanding of food safety, quality, sanitation, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Monitor and analyze quality, food safety, and operational performance metrics (including hold/release cycle time, complaint rate per unit volume, audit scores, CAPA closure rate, EMP positive rate, and supplier non‑conformance rate); prepare reports and communicate results and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Serve as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies, customers, certification bodies, and external auditors regarding food safety and quality matters.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Food Safety and Quality Assurance team while promoting accountability and a company‑wide culture of food safety and quality.
• Direct FSQA department staffing, resources, and expenditures in alignment with the approved budget.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records in accordance with regulatory, customer, certification, and company requirements.
• Exercise the authority to place products on hold, reject materials, suspend shipments, or stop production activities when food safety, legality, or quality concerns exist.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Quality Assurance, or a related field. Relevant experience may substitute for education at a 2:1 ratio (2 years' experience = 1 year of education).
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive food safety and quality assurance experience in fresh produce, repacked produce, food manufacturing, distribution, or packing operations, including at least 3 years in a direct supervisory or team‑leadership role.
• Hands‑on leadership of food safety and quality compliance specifically in fresh produce — the regulatory and quality landscape here differs meaningfully from general food manufacturing or packaged goods. Experience as a sanitarian and managing an Environmental Monitoring Program is strongly preferred.
• PCQI and HACCP certification required at hire or within 6 months of start. PrimusGFS (or equivalent GFSI) practitioner training and recall/traceability training preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred, to support food safety training across a Spanish‑dominant workforce.

Why Join Us?

You'll have real ownership: setting strategy, shaping company culture around food safety, and working across teams to turn ideas into initiatives with visible impact. If you're the kind of leader who spots the opportunity before being asked, we want to hear from you.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.