Quality Assurance Manager

La Chiquita Tortilla; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

La Chiquita Tortilla, a family-owned manufacturer in Atlanta, seeks a Quality Assurance Manager to lead the site's QA and food safety programs. You will ensure products meet company standards, customer specifications, and regulatory requirements across three production shifts with a team of 21 technicians.

You will oversee HACCP, GMPs, allergen management, audits, and continuous improvement, partnering with production, sanitation, maintenance, and management to drive excellence in quality and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Management, Engineering, or related field.
• Several years of progressive quality assurance and food safety experience, including management responsibility in a manufacturing environment.
• Bakery, tortilla, or snack manufacturing experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a large team across multiple shifts.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, preventive controls, allergen management, sanitation, and environmental monitoring.
• Experience leading third-party audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
• Familiarity with BRCGS, AIB, Organic, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, and RSPO requirements, as applicable.
• Strong skills in root cause analysis, corrective actions, data analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication, training, documentation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to make timely, sound decisions and enforce food safety and quality standards.
• HACCP certification required; PCQI training preferred.
• English/Spanish bilingual skills preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead QA team across three shifts with 12 technicians per shift.
• Establish clear expectations for inspections, testing, documentation, escalation, and shift handoffs.
• Coordinate staffing and schedules to maintain effective QA coverage.
• Train and coach employees on food safety, product quality, hygiene, and company procedures.
• Maintain a regular presence across all shifts to ensure consistent execution and accountability.
• Oversee HACCP, preventive controls, GMPs, allergen management, sanitation verification, environmental monitoring, traceability, and related programs.
• Develop, review, and maintain standard operating procedures, product specifications, inspection procedures, and quality records.
• Oversee incoming material, in-process, packaging, and finished product inspections and testing.
• Verify compliance with formulation, labeling, coding, weight, and customer requirements.
• Monitor manufacturing controls and identify opportunities to improve product consistency and reduce defects, waste, and complaints.
• Exercise authority to place materials or products on hold and stop production when food safety or quality requirements are not met.
• Lead preparation for regulatory inspections, customer audits, and third-party certification audits.
• Maintain audit readiness and support continued achievement of the highest applicable BRCGS and AIB ratings.
• Manage applicable certification requirements, including Organic, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, and RSPO.
• Ensure compliance with applicable FDA requirements, FSMA, and other relevant regulations.
• Coordinate corrective actions and verify timely, effective closure of audit findings.
• Lead investigations into customer complaints, nonconforming products, process deviations, and food safety concerns.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Manage product holds, disposition, and release with appropriate documentation and authorization.
• Support mock recalls, traceability exercises, and recall readiness.
• Track quality and food safety performance, analyze trends, and report results and improvement priorities to leadership.
• Partner with operations, sanitation, and maintenance to resolve recurring issues and strengthen manufacturing controls.

Skills

Team leadership

Food safety

Quality control

Root cause analysis

Documentation

Training

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Management, Engineering, or related field

HACCP certification

PCQI training

Job description

Full-Time | On-Site

Company Description

Quality Assurance Manager

La Chiquita Tortilla Mfr. | Atlanta, Georgia

Full-Time | On-Site

Company Description

Established in 1979, La Chiquita Tortilla is a family-owned and operated manufacturer of premium flour and corn tortillas and chips. We use high-quality ingredients and develop customized products, including colored and flavored options, for local businesses and some of the nation’s largest restaurant chains.

With manufacturing facilities in Atlanta, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida, we are committed to food safety, consistent quality, and exceptional customer service. Our goal is to be the best, not the biggest.

Position Summary

The Quality Assurance Manager leads the Atlanta facility’s quality assurance and food safety programs, ensuring products meet company standards, customer specifications, and applicable regulatory requirements.

This position manages QA coverage across three production shifts, with 12 QA Technicians per shift, totaling 21 technicians. The manager provides leadership, training, and accountability while partnering with production, sanitation, maintenance, and senior management to maintain a strong food safety culture and drive continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Manage, develop, and evaluate the QA team across all three shifts.
• Establish clear expectations for inspections, testing, documentation, escalation, and shift handoffs.
• Coordinate staffing and schedules to maintain effective QA coverage.
• Train and coach employees on food safety, product quality, hygiene, and company procedures.
• Maintain a regular presence across all shifts to ensure consistent execution and accountability.

Food Safety and Quality Programs

• Oversee HACCP, preventive controls, GMPs, allergen management, sanitation verification, environmental monitoring, traceability, and related programs.
• Develop, review, and maintain standard operating procedures, product specifications, inspection procedures, and quality records.
• Oversee incoming material, in-process, packaging, and finished product inspections and testing.
• Verify compliance with formulation, labeling, coding, weight, and customer requirements.
• Monitor manufacturing controls and identify opportunities to improve product consistency and reduce defects, waste, and complaints.
• Exercise authority to place materials or products on hold and stop production when food safety or quality requirements are not met.

Audits and Compliance

• Lead preparation for regulatory inspections, customer audits, and third-party certification audits.
• Maintain audit readiness and support continued achievement of the highest applicable BRCGS and AIB ratings.
• Manage applicable certification requirements, including Organic, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, and RSPO.
• Ensure compliance with applicable FDA requirements, FSMA, and other relevant regulations.
• Coordinate corrective actions and verify timely, effective closure of audit findings.

Investigations and Continuous Improvement

• Lead investigations into customer complaints, nonconforming products, process deviations, and food safety concerns.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Manage product holds, disposition, and release with appropriate documentation and authorization.
• Support mock recalls, traceability exercises, and recall readiness.
• Track quality and food safety performance, analyze trends, and report results and improvement priorities to leadership.
• Partner with operations, sanitation, and maintenance to resolve recurring issues and strengthen manufacturing controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Management, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant food manufacturing experience.
• Several years of progressive quality assurance and food safety experience, including management responsibility in a manufacturing environment.
• Bakery, tortilla, or snack manufacturing experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a large team across multiple shifts.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, preventive controls, allergen management, sanitation, and environmental monitoring.
• Experience leading third-party audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
• Familiarity with BRCGS, AIB, Organic, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, and RSPO requirements, as applicable.
• Strong skills in root cause analysis, corrective actions, data analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication, training, documentation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to make timely, sound decisions and enforce food safety and quality standards.
• HACCP certification required; PCQI training preferred.
• English/Spanish bilingual skills preferred.

Work Environment and Schedule

This is an on-site position in an active food manufacturing facility. The role requires regular time on the production floor and flexibility to support all three shifts, including occasional nights and weekends for audits, investigations, training, or operational needs.