Senior Director Quality Assurance

Red Kite Recruiting; Bolingbrook (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Real Good Foods in Bolingbrook, IL seeks a hands-on FSQA leader to elevate quality from reactive to predictive across a large manufacturing team.

This plant-operations role reports to a C-level leader, leading QA managers and technicians, owning USDA/FSIS compliance, HACCP, SSOPs, and traceability while partnering with Operations, Maintenance and R&D to embed quality into every facet of the plant's daily run.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of food manufacturing food safety/quality experience with people leadership.
• USDA/FSIS meat or poultry experience required.
• Strong HACCP/SSOP and plant inspection experience.
• Track record of moving quality from reactive to preventive.
• SQF, PCQI, supplier/co-man quality and extended sanitation experience are strong pluses.

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/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.

Skills

People leadership

Food safety/quality

USDA/FSIS meat/poultry

HACCP/SSOP

Data interpretation

Cross-functional influence

SQF/PCQI

Communication

Sanitation/extended sanitation

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.

Our client, 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. At this time, we are prioritizing all local candidates.