FSQA Manger

Producers Peanut Company, Inc; Suffolk (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Producers Peanut Company, Inc. is seeking a seasoned FSQA Manager to lead all food safety and quality programs at our facility.

You will oversee the SQF, HACCP, and Food Safety Management System, manage regulatory documentation, and supervise the QA team. Key responsibilities include leading recalls, audits, and customer inquiries, ensuring FSMA/USDA compliance, and maintaining certifications such as SQF, Kosher, and Halal where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, or related field.
• 3-5 years in food safety/quality in food manufacturing.
• Certified PCQI, HACCP, and SQF Practitioner (or ability to obtain).
• Strong knowledge of FDA/USDA FSMA and GFSI schemes.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the facility’s primary food-safety and regulatory representative, including during recalls, inspections, third-party audits, and customer inquiries.
• Ensure full compliance with FSMA, FDA, USDA, customer specifications, and relevant third-party standards (e.g., SQF, Halal).
• Act as SQF Practitioner; chair the annual SQF Management Review and issue monthly status reports to senior leadership.
• Oversee the integrated Food-Safety & Quality Management System (HACCP/Food-Safety Plan, PCQI, SQF Food Quality Plan, sanitation, allergen, pest control, calibration, and document-control programs).
• Develop, maintain, and annually test the FDA-mandated Food-Defense Plan; function as the Food-Defense Qualified Individual and trainer.

Job description

The FSQA Manager leads and manages all food-safety and quality-assurance programs at the facility, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and customer requirements. Responsibilities include oversight of the Food Safety & Quality Management System, third-party certifications (e.g., SQF, Kosher, Halal), regulatory documentation, internal audits, and team supervision.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Serve as the facility’s primary food-safety and regulatory representative, including during recalls, inspections, third-party audits, and customer inquiries.
• Ensure full compliance with FSMA, FDA, USDA, customer specifications, and relevant third-party standards (e.g., SQF, Halal).
• Act as SQF Practitioner; chair the annual SQF Management Review and issue monthly status reports to senior leadership.
• Oversee the integrated Food-Safety & Quality Management System (HACCP/Food-Safety Plan, PCQI, SQF Food Quality Plan, sanitation, allergen, pest control, calibration, and document-control programs).
• Develop, maintain, and annually test the FDA-mandated Food-Defense Plan; function as the Food-Defense Qualified Individual and trainer.
• Lead the Crisis-Management/Business-Continuity Plan and conduct an annual simulation test.
• Reanalyze the Food-Safety Plan per regulatory requirements—or sooner if products, processes, or regulations change—and document all revisions.
• Lead validation and ongoing verification of all preventive controls, retaining scientific evidence of effectiveness.
• Validate sanitation effectiveness through ATP/protein swabs, microbial testing, visual inspection, and chemical-concentration records.
• Oversee potable-water, compressed-air, and chemical-control verification, plus glass, brittle-plastic, and wood-control inspections.
• Manage foreign-material prevention systems, including metal/X-ray detector validation and performance checks.
• Oversee net-weight and fill-control verification to ensure legal and customer compliance.
• Ensure all Critical Control Points (CCPs) in the HACCP/Food-Safety Plan are validated, routinely monitored, and verified; review CCP records and escalate deviations for immediate corrective action.
• Design, implement, and review statistically valid sampling programs for raw materials, in-process products, finished goods, and environmental surfaces.
• Oversee routine in-process and finished-product quality testing programs to verify specification adherence and product consistency throughout manufacturing.
• Oversee the QA team’s coordination of routine and investigate sample shipments to ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories; maintain chain-of-custody records and ensure results are promptly reviewed by a PCQI.
• Trend and analyze data from environmental monitoring, product testing, and process controls; present quarterly reports with corrective-action plans to senior leadership and the Food-Safety Team. Oversee and routinely test traceability and recall programs to meet FSMA and SQF requirements (mock recalls, full-system verification).
• Control product hold/release and non-conforming-product disposition, ensuring documented approvals and traceability.
• Investigate deviations, non-conformances, and customer complaints using root-cause analysis and CAPA methodology; verify corrective-action effectiveness.
• Maintain constant audit readiness for regulators, customers, and third-party certifiers.
• Develop and oversee FSMA Supply-Chain Program: risk-based supplier approval, verification, and record retention.
• Lead the Food-Fraud (VACCP) vulnerability assessment and mitigation program; review annually.
• Maintain certifications and supporting records for Kosher, Halal, and other specialty claims.
• Manage customer audits, documentation audits, documentation requests, and complaint investigations.
• Act as the company’s authorized regulatory representative; prepare, review, issue, and sign all food-safety and regulatory documents for customers, auditors, and agencies (e.g., Letters of Guarantee, FSMA, GMO, Prop 65, allergen, irradiation, RTE declarations), coordinating with leadership or legal counsel as needed.
• Conduct periodic reviews of all compliance statements and regulatory letters to confirm they accurately reflect the most current regulations and the company’s documented manufacturing practices and controls.
• Support Sales, Marketing, and R&D to ensure label content meets FDA regulations and customer requirements (nutrition facts, ingredient lists, allergen declarations, claims).
• Supervise, coach, and develop QA staff; align goals with company objectives.
• Conduct interviews and making hiring decisions for QA department employees; oversee food-safety training.
• Drive the food-safety culture program, fostering awareness, engagement, and accountability at every level.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in food safety and quality within the food manufacturing sector such as tree nut and ground nut.
• Certified PCQI, HACCP, and SQF Practitioner (or ability to obtain).
• Strong knowledge of FDA/USDA regulations, FSMA, and GFSI certification schemes.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and quality system software (preferred).

Certifications

• Internal Auditor Training (GFSI schemes)
• Food Defense Qualified Individual / Intentional Adulteration training

Preferred Skills

• Expert knowledge of FSMA, FDA, USDA, and GFSI/SQF standards.
• Proficient in traceability, complaint investigation, and CAPA processes.
• Skilled in electronic document control and record-retention systems.
• Experienced in calibration program management for critical monitoring devices.
• Understanding of allergens, aflatoxin, food-defense, and nut-specific hazards.
• Experienced in maintaining and improving integrated food-safety and quality-management systems, including SQF, HACCP, traceability, and environmental monitoring.
• Experience managing Kosher, Halal, and other third‑party certifications.
• Experience responding to regulatory inspections and third‑party audits.