Senior Director of Quality Assurance

Red Kite Recruiting; Bolingbrook (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Real Good Foods in Bolingbrook, IL is seeking an FSQA leader for the Bolingbrook manufacturing operation with direct C-level exposure. You will build and lead a large QA team across multiple shifts and own key food-safety programs.

You will partner with Operations, Maintenance and R&D to embed quality into daily plant runs, using data to drive preventive actions and ensure SQF compliance.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in food safety/quality with people leadership.
• USDA/FSIS meat or poultry experience required.
• Strong HACCP/SSOP and plant inspection experience.
• Proven track record moving from reactive to preventive.
• Strong communication and cross-functional influence.
• SQF, PCQI, supplier quality and sanitation experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead food safety and quality for the Bolingbrook manufacturing operation.
• Develop QA managers, leads and technicians across multiple shifts.
• Own USDA/FSIS relationship, HACCP, SSOPs, sanitation verification, environmental monitoring, allergen controls, traceability, recall and SQF.
• Use process data, complaints, holds, environmental results and supplier performance as leading indicators.
• Drive CAPA to root cause and lasting prevention.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance and R&D to make quality part of how the plant runs.
• Bring calm, fact-based leadership during real food-safety events.

Skills

Food safety leadership

Quality management

HACCP/SSOP

USDA/FSIS experience

Data interpretation

Cross-functional influence

Plant leadership

Job description

A 97 SQF score tells you something important: you are not walking into a broken food safety program. You are walking into an opportunity to make a good one significantly better. Real Good Foods is building the next chapter of a high-protein, better-for-you food brand, and the Bolingbrook plant needs an FSQA leader who can help move quality from reactive to predictive. This is a hands-on plant leadership role with a large team, direct C-level reporting and regular senior-leadership exposure.

What you will own

• Lead food safety and quality for the Bolingbrook manufacturing operation.
• Develop QA managers, leads and technicians across multiple shifts.
• Own the site's USDA/FSIS relationship, HACCP, SSOPs, sanitation verification, environmental monitoring, allergen/gluten-free controls, foreign-material controls, traceability, recall and SQF.
• Use process data, complaints, holds, environmental results and supplier performance as leading indicators.
• Drive CAPA to root cause and lasting prevention.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance and R&D to make quality part of how the plant runs, not a department that polices it.
• Bring calm, fact-based leadership when a real food-safety event occurs.

What makes the opportunity different

• The plant scored 97 on its July SQF audit: this is elevation, not rescue.
• Direct reporting to a C-level leader and regular exposure to senior executives.
• A sizable quality organization already in place, with additional investment being made.
• Potential for broader supplier/co-manufacturing responsibility as the role and organization evolve.
• A company environment where builders can see their impact quickly.

What you bring

• 12+ years of food manufacturing food safety/quality experience, including people leadership.
• Meaningful USDA/FSIS meat or poultry experience is required.
• Strong HACCP/SSOP and plant inspection experience.
• A track record of moving quality from reactive to preventive.
• Strong communication, data interpretation and cross-functional influence.
• HTNRTE/further-processed protein, breaded poultry/beef, SQF, PCQI, supplier/co-man quality and extended sanitation experience are strong pluses.

This is a plant leadership role. The right person wants to be on the floor, knows how to earn trust across Operations, and is equally comfortable presenting facts to senior leadership.
This position is located in Bolingbrook, IL.