Mgr Regional Food Safety & QA Sr

Ventura Foods; Brea (CA); Remote; USD 121,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in food solutions is seeking a Regional Quality Assurance Manager to oversee quality assurance teams across multiple plants. This remote role focuses on compliance, food safety, and continuous improvement of quality systems. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in QA management and a strong technical background in food science. The position offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision

Profit sharing and 401(k) matching

Paid vacation, sick leave, holidays

Employee events and assistance programs

Qualifications

• 10+ years leading QA and sanitation teams.
• 5+ years managing comprehensive site food safety and quality programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant Food Safety, Quality, and Sanitation teams.
• Monitor and report on key plant quality metrics.
• Investigate serious escalated food safety issues.

Skills

Project Management

Problem Solving

Root Cause Analysis

Risk Assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant Science field

Master's degree

Tools

RedZone

JDE

Job description

Location: Remote Role - ideally the Atlanta, Georgia area
Employment Type: Salaried
Work Arrangement:Remote

Position Summary:

The Regional Quality Assurance Manager (RQAM) leads the quality assurance teams for a single region of 3-6 plants, focusing on lab, compliance, and sanitation services. The RQAM manages the development, execution, and continuous improvement of Ventura Foods' Quality and Food Safety systems. They share accountability with the Director of QA and Plant Managers for effective implementation of Ventura Foods policies, Food Safety Plans, and Sanitation programs across assigned plants to ensure compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act and meet customer requirements. The role involves direct reports including Quality Managers at the plants and potentially HQ technologists/analysts. Responsibilities include establishing goals, measuring performance, coaching, hiring, and removing roadblocks for direct reports. Additionally, the RQAM supports corporate activities such as policy creation, program development, and strategic planning. On-site support is provided as needed during personnel changes or significant events. The role is accountable for key metrics like customer complaints, EMP, sanitation, Q1, SNC, CVA, and GFSI compliance.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Lead plant Food Safety, Quality, and Sanitation teams under the Director of QA to support Food Safety Plans and Ventura Foods' policies, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and cross-functional team execution.
2. Collaborate with HQ Quality Assurance and technical teams to communicate and implement quality and food safety standards, ensuring they stay current with regulatory and industry changes.
3. Monitor and report on key plant quality metrics, establish continuous improvement processes, and develop plans to enhance performance.
4. Investigate serious escalated food safety issues, approve corrective actions, and escalate issues to the Ventura Foods FIRST Team when necessary.
5. Audit pillars of the plant quality model (lab, compliance, sanitation), identify opportunities, and support programs to improve performance using leading and lagging indicators.
6. Develop and train personnel, work collaboratively with plant managers on QA performance, and foster a strong food safety culture.
7. Coordinate with other functions to resolve quality and food safety issues and represent the company at industry events as needed.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant Science field or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years leading QA and sanitation teams.
• 5+ years managing comprehensive site food safety and quality programs.
• Experience in project and people management.
• Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) and/or HACCP certification required.
• Experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 50%.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Strong sanitation background desired.
• Experience with RedZone & JDE systems highly preferred.
• Experience with new system implementations is a plus.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Solid technical understanding of food science, microbiology, and quality assurance in a manufacturing setting.
• Strong project management, influencing, and problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis and risk assessment.

Why Join Us:

Ventura Foods innovates and manufactures food solutions for foodservice and retail. We produce products for iconic restaurants, retailers, professional kitchens, and consumer brands. We offer comprehensive training, supportive management, a safe environment, and challenging work. Your growth is our priority, and we invest in your development.

• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision from day one.
• Profit sharing and 401(k) matching.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, holidays.
• Employee events and assistance programs.
• Salary range: $121,265.60 - $192,523.09, based on experience and location.
• Annual bonus based on performance.

Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive environment, treating all employees with respect. We believe diversity drives innovation and helps us meet customer expectations.

Ventura Foods is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics.