Quality Assurance Manager — Lead Food Safety & Compliance

Watershed Foods; Gridley (IL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits (PPO or HSA)

Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Disability

401K with company match

Holidays and PTO

Tuition Reimbursement

Uniform and Boots provided

Employee Assistance Program

Volunteer/Community service days

Bonus/referral incentives

Job summary

Watershed Foods in Gridley, IL is seeking a Management-level QA leader to oversee the Quality Assurance Department, ensuring food safety, quality, and compliance with GFSI and customer requirements. This role drives corrective actions, environmental monitoring, and audits while coordinating staff training and documentation.

The position requires a BS in a relevant field or equivalent QA experience, PCQI/SQF certifications, and proven managerial capability across multiple shifts.

Qualifications

• BS degree preferred in Biology, Microbiology, Food Science or 5+ years in QA/Quality Control.
• SQF Practitioner Certification or willingness to obtain within 6 months.
• PCQI certification or willingness to obtain within 6 months.
• Managerial experience overseeing a department across multiple shifts.
• Strong knowledge of GFSI schemes and food certifications.
• Experience with quality tools, trend reporting, SPC and regulatory guidelines.
• Knowledge of Food Defense, recalls, and crisis management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily activities and staffing of the QA Department.
• Ensure QA processes meet food safety and quality standards.
• Lead internal audits and CAPA closure within timelines.
• Coordinate testing for water, air, allergens; supervise EMP.
• Prepare quality docs and reports from data trends.
• Respond to customer quality issues within stated timelines.
• Collaborate with Operations on continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support external audits for certifications and customer compliance.
• Act as backup to VP of Quality for recall and defense duties.

Skills

Leadership

Quality assurance

GFSI knowledge

PCQI knowledge

SQF knowledge

Communication

ERP systems

Education

BS in Biology / Microbiology / Food Science

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

ERP systems

Job description

Watershed Foods in Gridley, IL is seeking a Management-level QA leader to oversee the Quality Assurance Department, ensuring food safety, quality, and compliance with GFSI and customer requirements. This role drives corrective actions, environmental monitoring, and audits while coordinating staff training and documentation.

The position requires a BS in a relevant field or equivalent QA experience, PCQI/SQF certifications, and proven managerial capability across multiple shifts.