Manager, Food Safety and Quality Assurance

KeHE Distributors, LLC; Tualatin (OR); On-site; USD 95,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/Rx

Dental

Vision

FSA/HSA

Supplemental life insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Paid sick time

STD/LTD

ESOP

Holiday pay

Job summary

KeHE Distributors, LLC is seeking a Manager of Food Safety and Quality Assurance to champion a strong safety culture across Mountain Man. You will develop and sustain FSQA systems, collaborate with operations, and drive continuous improvement in quality across all products.

The role requires SQF Practitioner and PCQI certifications, and a track record of leading audits, training, and improvement initiatives in a distribution/production environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years’ experience in food safety and quality assurance.
• Associates’ degree in food science, quality systems or a related field required.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• SQF Practitioner certification required.
• PCQI certification required.
• FSVP certification highly desired.
• FDA inspections and SQF audits experience desired.

Responsibilities

• Serve as subject matter expert on applicable food safety regulations and regulatory compliance.
• Safe Quality Food (SQF) practitioner for the site.
• Develops, maintains, and executes FSQA systems to ensure compliance with regulations and audits.
• Collaborates cross-functionally to integrate quality standards across operations.
• Leads product development stages to set quality standards for new and existing SKUs.
• Oversees food safety risk assessments and controls.
• Monitors KPI performance and reports to leadership.
• Conducts audits and inspections for compliance and improvement.
• Maintains vendor relationships to ensure quality requirements.
• Leads audits and corrective action tracking.

Skills

Excellent communication

Collaborative mindset

Microsoft 365

Food safety knowledge

cGMPs

Sanitation procedures

Self-starter

Adaptable

Influence others

Technical documents

Attention to detail

Organization & time management

Education

Associates’ degree in food science, quality systems or a related field

Bachelor’s degree

SQF Practitioner certification

PCQI certification

SQF/GFSI programs experience

Experience leading teams

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Why Work for KeHE?

• Full-time
• Pay Range: $95,000.00/Yr. - $111,000.00/Yr.
• Shift Days: M-F, Shift Time: 9:00 AM
• Benefits on Day 1
  • Health/Rx
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
  • Supplemental life insurance
  • 401(k)
  • Paid time off
  • Paid sick time
  • Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
  • Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
  • Holiday pay for company designated holidays

Overview

At KeHE, we’re obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others – and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we’re committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you’ll be embarking on a career that’s moving forward. When you join KeHE, you’re becoming part of a team that is a force for good.

Primary Responsibilities

The Manager, Food Safety and Quality Assurance develops and maintains a strong food safety and quality culture throughout Mountain Man. The Manager develops initiatives to implement, track, and deliver on KeHE and Mountain Man quality measures with a continuous improvement mindset. The Manager collaborates with the production and warehouse teams as the operations are running to ensure best-in-class food safety and quality at all times. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Essential Functions

DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the subject matter expert on applicable food safety regulations and regulatory compliance.
• Safe Quality Food (SQF) practitioner for the site.
• Develops, maintains, and executes Food Safety Quality Assurance (FSQA) systems, knowledge, and practices to ensure compliance with food safety regulations, company policies, and external audits, including customer, certification, Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), and regulatory.
• Collaborates cross-functionally to integrate quality standards across all operations.
• Collaborates during the product development (R&D) stage to set, maintain, and adapt food safety and quality standards/processes across all new and existing SKUs.
• Oversees food safety risk assessments and implements necessary controls.
• Monitors, improves, and communicates quality control performance using key performance indicators (KPIs) to site leadership and corporate quality functions.
• Conducts quality control and food safety checks during shift start-up, changeovers, and shut-down.
• Conducts regular audits and inspections to ensure compliance and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
• Analyzes quality data to identify trends and areas for continuous improvement.
• Maintains relationships with vendors to ensure adherence to quality requirements.
• Leads third-party and customer audits and manages corrected actions.
• Serves as a resource for operational issues, process improvements, and new product launches.
• Conducts performance evaluations, provides feedback, and supports team goal setting.
• Leads continuous improvement of food safety and quality systems across all departments.
• Develops and implements training for all food safety and quality programs.
• Implements and monitors sanitation programs to meet stringent SQF and GFSI standards.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent communication skills for all levels of team members, including front-line associates, peers, customers, vendors, and executives.
• Collaborative, continuous improvement mindset.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 or similar programs.
• Thorough knowledge of food safety, Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs).
• Thorough knowledge of sanitation procedures.
• Self-starter with the ability to work without close supervision.
• Adaptable to changing business needs.
• Ability to influence others to achieve shared results.
• Ability to read and understand technical documents.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum seven years’ experience working in the food industry in a food safety and quality assurance role.
• Associates’ degree in food science, quality systems or a related field required.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience implementing SQF/GFSI programs preferred.
• Experience “chairing” Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections and SQF audits highly desired.
• SQF Practitioner certification required.
• Minimum 1-3 years of experience managing teams.
• Preventative Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification required.
• Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) certification highly desired.
• Food Defense Coordinator experience highly desired.
• Experience with internal audit procedures highly desired.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
• The ability to lift, lower, and carry 12 to 50 pounds throughout the day.
• The ability to push and pull throughout the day.
• The ability to stand, walk, climb, and sit throughout the day.
• While performing the duties of this position, you are subject to a warehouse and production environment, with varying temperatures from very cool to very warm.

Requisition ID

2026-29847

Equal Employer Opportunity Statement

KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.