Quality Assurance Manager

CareersInFood.com; Monroe (WI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

CareersInFood.com is seeking an experienced Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) Manager to lead the FSQ department on the manufacturing floor, coaching teams and driving continuous improvement. The role focuses on HACCP, SQF, GMPs, and environmental monitoring, with accountability for audits and product compliance.

The successful candidate will bring 8+ years of FSQ leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration, and a hands-on approach to sustaining a world-class food safety culture across QA,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field.
• 8+ years in progressive FSQ leadership in food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, FSMA/Preventive Controls, SQF, GMPs, SSOPs.
• Experience leading audits (FDA, USDA, SQF, third-party).
• Proven ability to develop and coach quality teams.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the FSQ department, including QA, Food Safety, and Sanitation teams.
• Develop, mentor, and evaluate FSQ personnel with a culture of accountability.
• Maintain and improve food safety systems (HACCP, Preventive Controls, SQF, GMPs, SSOPs, EMP).
• Serve as primary quality contact during audits with FDA, USDA, SQF, customers, and third parties.
• Lead root cause investigations, CAPA activities, and verification of corrective actions.
• Oversee environmental monitoring, sanitation validation, and allergen management.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, R&D, and Supply Chain.
• Ensure compliance with customer specs and regulatory requirements.
• Manage complaint investigations, non-conforming product, holds, deviations, and disposition.
• Support commercialization with FSQ guidance during new product introductions.
• Monitor quality metrics and KPIs to identify trends and drive improvements.
• Develop audit-ready documentation, SOPs, and food safety plans.
• Manage departmental budgets, staffing, and strategic quality initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Food Safety

Quality Assurance

Audits

Cross-functional Leadership

Problem Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) Manager to join the leadership team of a growing food manufacturing organization. This position is responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving food safety and quality systems while ensuring compliance with FDA, USDA, SQF, customer, and company standards.

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, a hands-on management style, and a proven track record leading quality, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and regulatory compliance programs within a food manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Food Safety & Quality department, including Quality Assurance, Food Safety, and Sanitation teams.
• Develop, mentor, and evaluate FSQ personnel while building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Maintain and improve food safety systems including HACCP, Preventive Controls, SQF, GMPs, SSOPs, and Environmental Monitoring Programs (EMP).
• Serve as the primary quality contact during FDA, USDA, SQF, customer, and third-party audits.
• Lead root cause investigations, CAPA activities, and verification of corrective actions.
• Oversee environmental monitoring, sanitation validation, allergen management, and product release programs.
• Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, R&D, and Supply Chain to resolve quality issues and improve manufacturing performance.
• Ensure ingredient, in-process, and finished product compliance with customer specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Manage complaint investigations, non-conforming product, holds, deviations, and disposition activities.
• Support commercialization efforts by providing food safety and quality guidance during new product introductions and process changes.
• Monitor quality metrics and KPIs to identify trends and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain audit-ready documentation, SOPs, work instructions, and food safety plans.
• Manage departmental budgets, staffing, and strategic quality initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent industry experience).
• 8+ years of progressive Food Safety and Quality leadership experience within food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of:
• HACCP
• FSMA / Preventive Controls
• SQF or other GFSI standards
• GMPs
• SSOPs
• CAPA and Root Cause Analysis
• Experience leading customer, FDA, USDA, SQF, and third-party audits.
• Experience developing and coaching quality teams.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• PCQI Certification
• HACCP Certification
• Experience within dairy, cheese, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, or other FDA-regulated food manufacturing environments.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience.
• Experience supporting new product commercialization and process improvements.

The successful candidate is a collaborative leader who enjoys being on the manufacturing floor, coaching teams, solving complex food safety challenges, and driving continuous improvement. They are equally comfortable leading audits, mentoring employees, analyzing quality trends, and partnering with operations to build a world-class food safety culture.