Quality Manager

MSI Express, Inc.; Batavia (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401K Matching

Bonus Eligible

Job summary

MSI Express, Inc. is seeking a Quality Manager to lead QA, food safety, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement within our Illinois facility.

You will ensure product quality aligns with customer specs and MSI Express standards, partnering with Operations to drive performance and audit readiness. The role requires 7+ years QA/food safety experience, leadership of teams, and success with HACCP, GMP, and audits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field required or equivalent
• PCQI certification preferred
• SQF Practitioner certification preferred
• Advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead quality, food safety, sanitation, HACCP, allergen control, and GMP programs.
• Maintain and improve quality management systems, procedures, specifications, and documentation.
• Lead customer, regulatory, and certification audits and ensure closure of findings.
• Develop, coach, and lead the quality team and drive a culture of continuous improvement.
• Utilize data analysis and problem-solving tools to improve product quality and operations.
• Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Commercial teams to support objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

HACCP & GMP

Allergen Controls

Sanitation Management

Root Cause Analysis

SPC

Continuous Improvement

Data Analysis

Project & Budget Management

Communication

Organization

Customer Relationship Skills

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering

PCQI certification

SQF Practitioner certification

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Job Description: Job Type: Full-time Pay: $100,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year Benefits: Health insurance Paid time off Dental Insurance Vision Insurance 401K Matching Bonus Eligible Schedule: First Shift Work Location: In person

ROLE PURPOSE / POSITION SUMMARY

The Quality Manager provides leadership for all Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Regulatory Compliance, and Continuous Improvement programs within the facility. This role ensures products are manufactured in compliance with customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and MSI Express standards while fostering a culture of food safety, quality excellence, and operational accountability. The Quality Manager partners with Operations and other functional leaders to drive quality performance, maintain audit readiness, mitigate risk, and deliver exceptional customer satisfaction.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES / PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Quality & Food Safety Leadership: Lead quality, food safety, sanitation, HACCP, allergen control, and GMP programs. Ensure compliance with customer, regulatory, and company requirements. Serve as the site's food safety and quality subject matter expert.
• Quality Systems & Compliance: Maintain and continuously improve quality management systems, procedures, specifications, and documentation. Ensure facility readiness for customer, regulatory, and third-party audits. Manage corrective and preventive action programs and verify sustainable solutions.
• Customer & Audit Management: Serve as the primary customer contact for quality-related matters. Lead customer, regulatory, and certification audits and ensure timely closure of findings. Monitor customer complaints and drive effective root cause analysis and resolution.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, develop, and coach quality team members. Promote employee engagement, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement. Ensure effective training programs for food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Continuous Improvement: Monitor quality metrics and plant performance to identify trends and improvement opportunities. Utilise data analysis and problem-solving tools to improve product quality and operational effectiveness. Partner with cross‑functional teams to drive sustainable process improvements.
• Business Partnership: Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Commercial teams to support customer service, productivity, and business objectives. Manage departmental budgets and resources effectively. Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS / CAPABILITY PROFILE

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, or related scientific field. Advanced degree preferred. PCQI certification preferred. SQF Practitioner or equivalent certification preferred.

• Minimum Experience: 7+ years of progressive Quality Assurance and Food Safety experience in food manufacturing.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing salaried and hourly team members.
• Experience leading customer, regulatory, and third‑party audits.
• Experience managing HACCP, Preventive Controls, GMP, and sanitation programs.
• Co‑manufacturing or contract packaging experience preferred.

Minimum Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Leadership and team development
• Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• HACCP, GMPs, Allergen Controls, and Sanitation Management
• Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Actions
• Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Continuous Improvement and Data Analysis
• Project and Budget Management
• Strong communication, organization, and customer relationship skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and quality systems

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Position is based onsite in a food manufacturing and packaging facility. Frequent exposure to production environments, food allergens, varying temperatures, elevated noise levels, and moving machinery. Must be available to support off‑shift operations, customer visits, audits, production issues, and business‑critical events as needed. Occasional travel may be required for customer meetings, training, audits, and company events. Ability to stand and walk throughout the facility for extended periods. Ability to climb stairs, ladders, and access elevated platforms as needed. Ability to occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and lift up to 25 pounds. Ability to wear required PPE, including hairnets, beard nets, safety glasses, hearing protection, and other food safety equipment. Ability to work in refrigerated, ambient, and warm manufacturing environments. Ability to visually inspect products, equipment, documentation, and production processes. Ability to effectively communicate with employees, customers, auditors, and regulatory agencies.

MSI Express is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are a single‑source contract manufacturing and packaging company, delivering innovative engineering solutions from our strategically located network of manufacturing facilities.