Senior Manager Quality and Food Safety

Shearer's Foods; Perham (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Shearer’s Foods, a leading snacking company, is seeking a Sr. Manager of Quality & Food Safety at its Perham, Minnesota facility.

You will lead the quality assurance and food safety program, collaborating with customers, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to ensure safety, quality, and brand promise. You will supervise 4 quality team members, own end-to-end quality systems, and drive continuous improvement while reporting to the Plant Director.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Microbiology, Biology, or other science-related degree.
• 10 years of experience in Quality Assurance, Food Safety, and Sanitation.
• 5+ years in a supervisory/management role in a plant of similar complexity and size.
• Certifications: PCQI, SQF Practitioner (or other GFSI), HACCP.
• Strong knowledge of FSMA, FDA, and global food safety standards.
• Experience interacting with customers and suppliers in a quality capacity.
• Data-driven approach using statistics to drive improvement.
• Experience leading change and improving processes in a plant setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the site’s Quality and Food Safety Management Systems (SQF, Food Safety Plan, GMPs, SOPs).
• Maintain understanding of products, raw materials, packaging, and process quality specs.
• Enforce all food safety processes incl. AIB/SQF standards and customer standards.
• Serve as SQF Practitioner and PCQI; participate in weekly Food Safety Inspections.
• Identify and mitigate risks with the Food Safety Team.
• Investigate customer complaints and drive corrective actions.
• Ensure audit readiness and hygienic design across the facility.
• Develop data-driven insights to reduce variability and improve performance.
• Set quality objectives aligned with plant and corporate goals.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor degree in Food Science or related

Tools

SQF

PCQI

HACCP

Job description

With a strong focus on innovation, service, quality, and sustainability, Shearer’s has been awarded the food industry’s highest award for environmental sustainability, as well as multiple Supplier of the Year awards.

Operating 16 locations across North America and employing more than 5000 team members, Shearer’s is driven by its core values of People, Grow, Impact and Win. The company mission is to deliver exceptional products and services that make snacking a time to celebrate for our customers, colleagues, and community.

At Shearer’s Foods, we believe in a skills-first approach to recruitment and employment. This means focusing on what you can do and how you can grow, rather than traditional metrics alone. We are committed to adhering to anti-exclusion practices, removing barriers to access, and enhancing opportunities for all individuals based on merit and potential. Your skills, experience, and perspective are valuable—and we want to empower you to make your mark here with us.

Sr. Manager of Quality & Food Safety

The Sr. Manager of Quality & Food Safety is responsible for leading the quality assurance, and food safety program at our Perham, Minnesota facility. This includes working with customers, suppliers, corporate quality team, and manufacturing staff to ensure every product consistently delivers on safety, quality, and brand promise. You will own the site’s quality and food safety systems end-to-end, translating customer expectations and regulatory requirements into actionable standards, disciplined execution, and continuous improvement across the plant. Manage, coach and develop 4 quality team members (Technicians and Supervisors) to act as trusted advisors and problem-solvers on the production floor. This role is a senior leadership position reporting to the Plant Director.

Your seat at the table:

• Lead and continuously improve the site’s Quality and Food Safety Management Systems, including SQF (Safe Quality Foods), Food Safety Plan, GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of all products manufactured by the plant as well as the raw materials, packaging materials, and operations required in the manufacturing process including quality specifications and standards.
• Monitor, support and enforce all Shearer’s Foods food safety processes and procedures. This includes all AIB standards, SQF standards, and customer specific standards as identified in supporting documentation.
• Serve as the SQF Practitioner and Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). Participate in weekly Food Safety Inspections.
• Act as a key member of the Food Safety Team, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated proactively.
• Investigate and respond to customer complaints. Track complaint and reacts to emerging issues or trends engaging the appropriate functions and process owners (i.e. production, maintenance, PD, etc.) to resolve.
• Ensure all programs are designed and executed to protect the consumer and ensure audit readiness at all times.
• Oversee sanitation and prerequisite programs to ensure hygienic design and execution across the facility.
• Develop and leverage data-driven insights (SPC, trend analysis, defect tracking) to improve performance and reduce variability.
• Establish and align quality objectives with plant and corporate goals, balancing consumer protection, efficiency, and cost.
• Drive structured problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives focused on defect reduction and customer satisfaction.
• Build a culture of ownership where quality is everyone’s responsibility,
• Partner with operations to embed quality at the source, minimizing reliance on inspection.
• Deliver training programs that connect frontline work to real customer impact and brand reputation.

What you bring to the table:

• Minimum requirement of a Bachelor Degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Microbiology, Biology, or other science related degree.
• Minimum of 10 years of overall professional experience in Quality Assurance, Food Safety, and Sanitation.
• Minimum of 5 years in a supervisory or management position in a plant of similar
• complexity and size.
• Certifications: PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual), SQF Practitioner (or other GFSI), HACCP
• Strong knowledge of FSMA, FDA, and global food safety standards
• Experience working directly with customers and suppliers in a quality capacity
• Demonstrated success using data and statistical methods to drive improvement
• Demonstrated experience leading change
• Broad knowledge and experience in quality and food safety management gained at
• successive levels of responsibility in a plant atmosphere.
• Demonstrated ability to direct, coach, and train associates as well as plan, monitor and
• Experience leading “Best in Class” behaviors with focus on food safety, quality assurance, and plant regulatory compliance.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.