Senior Manager FSQA & Sanitation

LE1 See’s Candy Shops, Incorporated; United States; On-site; USD 135,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Job summary

See's Candies is seeking a Senior FSQA & Sanitation Manager to lead food safety, QA, and sanitation across multiple manufacturing and distribution facilities. You will ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, USDA, SQF, and GFSI standards, drive continuous improvement, and foster a strong safety culture.

The role requires strategic leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to manage audits, CAPAs, and environmental monitoring programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, microbiology, biology, chemistry, or related field required.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive leadership experience in food safety, QA, sanitation, or related functions within food manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead FSQA and Sanitation teams across multiple facilities, ensuring staffing, scheduling, training, and performance management.
• Oversee and maintain Food Safety and Quality Management Systems for compliance with FDA, FSMA, USDA, SQF, GFSI, HACCP/HARPC, GMPs.
• Manage audits, regulatory inspections, and supplier quality programs; drive continuous improvement and KPI tracking.

Skills

FSQA Leadership

Food Safety

Sanitation Programs

Regulatory Compliance

Audits

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science

Tools

ERP systems

SPC tools

MS Office

Job description

Work is Sweet! 'Quality without Compromise' is not just a motto at See’s Candies. It is the most important ingredient in our recipe for success. See’s Candies has been in business since 1921 and maintains a reputation for producing the highest quality candy and providing superior customer service. See’s is a leader in the confectionery industry with over 250 retail shops across the USA, a growing e-commerce business, and expanding opportunities internationally. We are seeking friendly, enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about helping us grow and thrive in our second century.

Job Description Summary

POSITION OBJECTIVE: The Senior FSQA & Sanitation Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing all Food Safety, Quality Assurance, and Sanitation programs across five manufacturing and distribution facilities. This role ensures compliance with all applicable FDA, FSMA, USDA, CDPH, OSHA, SQF, GFSI, EPA, and local regulatory requirements, while driving quality, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and a strong food safety culture throughout the organization. This position provides strategic leadership and technical expertise for food safety systems, sanitation execution, environmental monitoring, supplier quality, audit readiness, integrated pest management, regulatory compliance, and quality systems management. The Senior FSQA & Sanitation Manager partners cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, Warehousing, R&D, and Corporate Leadership to protect product quality, consumer safety, and the company’s legacy of excellence.

The pay range for this position is expected to be $135k - $150k annually, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead and manage FSQA and Sanitation teams across multiple manufacturing, packaging, and distribution facilities, ensuring proper staffing, scheduling, training, and performance management. Coach, mentor, and develop FSQA Managers, Sanitation Managers, Supervisors, and support staff to foster accountability, consistency, and operational excellence. Manage all personnel-related activities, including hiring, onboarding, labor budget management, performance evaluations, coaching, discipline, training, and termination recommendations in accordance with company policies and union contract requirements where applicable. Promote a culture of safety, food safety, quality, sanitation excellence, continuous improvement, and employee engagement across all facilities. Ensure effective communication and seamless transitions between shifts to support food safety, quality, sanitation, sustainability, and operational goals. Oversee and maintain Food Safety and Quality Management Systems to ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, USDA, CDPH, SQF, GFSI, HACCP/HARPC, GMP, and company standards. Lead the review, validation, verification, and continuous improvement of The Food Safety HACCP/HARPC plans, SOPs, SSOPs, OPLs, forms, registers, and prerequisite programs. Manage document control systems to ensure all food safety, sanitation, and quality documentation remains accurate, current, accessible, and compliant. Ensure all facilities maintain audit readiness and successfully pass internal, regulatory, customer, and third-party audits with minimal findings. Lead site crisis management activities, mock recalls, traceability exercises, regulatory inspections, and product recall execution. Verify and validate corrective and preventive actions related to food safety, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and quality deviations. Utilize SPC and other analytical tools to identify trends, establish KPIs, improve process capability, and drive operational improvements. Lead root cause investigations related to customer complaints, food safety incidents, sanitation failures, environmental findings, and quality losses. Develop, implement, and standardize sanitation programs, SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules (MSS), sanitation validation procedures, and cleaning effectiveness programs across all facilities. Oversee sanitation operations to ensure manufacturing, packaging, and warehouse areas are always maintained in sanitary and food-safe conditions. Lead environmental monitoring and pre-operational inspection programs to verify sanitation effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Manage integrated pest management programs and third-party sanitation and chemical suppliers to ensure performance, compliance, and cost effectiveness. Drive sanitation innovation and continuous improvement initiatives focused on water conservation, chemical optimization, dry-cleaning technologies, and waste reduction. Ensure proper chemical handling, hazardous communication compliance, sanitation safety practices, and employee training programs are effectively implemented. Evaluate supplier quality audit programs and evaluate supplier compliance with food safety and quality standards. Serve as backup support for Facility FSQA Managers and Sanitation Managers to ensure continuity of operations when needed. Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, Warehousing, and Supply Chain teams to ensure products are manufactured in compliance with food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements. Support implementation of new technologies, ERP systems, sanitation equipment, and process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and compliance. Participate in continuous improvement and capital projects that improve food safety, sanitation, sustainability, and operational performance. Ensure all assigned facilities comply with approved SOPs, SSOPs, sanitation standards, GMPs, food defense, and food security programs. Maintain compliance with all applicable environmental, food safety, occupational safety, and sanitation regulations and standards. Maintain safe work environments by ensuring proper safety procedures, training, and corrective actions are consistently applied. Keep current with industry regulations, emerging technologies, regulatory changes, and best practices related to food safety, sanitation, quality assurance, and sustainability. Perform other duties and special projects assigned to support organizational objectives.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in food science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, or related field required. Minimum 8 years of progressive leadership experience in Food Safety, Quality Assurance, Sanitation, or related functions within food manufacturing environments, including multi-site oversight preferred. Strong knowledge of FDA, FSMA, SQF, GFSI, HACCP/HARPC, GMPs, lean manufacturing, continuous process improvements, sanitation systems, principles of Sanitary and Hygienic Design, environmental monitoring, and regulatory compliance requirements. Certified SQF Practitioner, PCQI, HACCP/HARPC certification preferred. Experience managing sanitation programs, Master Sanitation Schedules (MSS), environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, and sanitation validation activities. Demonstrated experience managing and validating Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Clean-out-of-Place (COP) systems, including development of sanitation procedures, verification and validation activities, chemical concentration monitoring, SSOP compliance, pre-operational inspections, and documentation to ensure compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements. Experience leading regulatory, customer, and third-party audits such as SQF, BRC, or AIB. Prepare, administer, and maintain departmental budgets for Food Safety, Quality Assurance, and Sanitation operations in accordance with company financial policies and business objectives. Monitor labor, chemical, sanitation supply, pest control, and operational expenses to ensure cost-effective performance while maintaining compliance and food safety standards. Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Experience with supplier quality management, ERP systems, SPC tools, and data-driven decision-making. Strong written and verbal skills. Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to supervise and motivate employees. Experience in confectionery, high-risk ingredients, or similar industries preferred. Excellent communication, leadership, coaching, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence all levels of the organization. Experience working in unionized manufacturing and packaging environments preferred. Strong computer proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and related business systems. Ability to work flexible schedules, including day, swing, night shifts, weekends, and holidays as needed. Conversational Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin preferred. Self-starter with a demonstrated high level of initiative. Proven leadership competencies in driving resolutions and results, creative problem-solving, and improving food safety and quality performance consistency. Proven ability to quickly learn new technologies and effectively manage organizational change. Reports directly to the Director, Food Safety & Quality Assurance, and partners closely with Site Operations Managers, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, Warehousing, Supply Chain, R&D, and Corporate Leadership teams. Travel requirement: approximately 40–50% travel between five facilities. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, in addition to a full range of generous medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors. See's is an EOE See’s will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable local, state or federal law (including San Francisco Ordinance #131192 and Los Angeles Municipal Code 189.00). Welcome to See's Candies where every career choice is as delightful as our candy! Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, you've come to the right place to satisfy your career cravings. From crafting irresistible confections to spreading joy to customers, every role at See's Candies is a chance to make a difference and leave a lasting impression.

Like a Box of Chocolates, we believe that variety is the spice of life, and it takes many unique individuals working together to reach our common goals. At See's, teamwork is the secret ingredient. For over 100 years, See's Candies has been dedicated to making candy Mary See's way; helping to make the world a sweeter place, one piece of candy at a time.