Senior Quality Manager

Maker’s Pride, LLC; Kentucky; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Maker’s Pride, LLC in Kentucky is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager to oversee and ensure compliance with Quality Assurance and Food Safety protocols. This role involves mentoring Quality and Food Safety teams and utilizing lean tools to enhance the quality system.

Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree coupled with five years of leadership experience in Quality Assurance. Certifications in PCQI and HACCP are preferred. The position offers opportunities for significant impact in driving quality culture improvements throughout the plant.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of salaried leadership experience.
• PCQI Certification and/or HACCP Certification required.
• Strong self-confidence and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Quality Assurance and Food Safety programs.
• Collaborate with plant leadership to drive quality improvements.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Actions.

Skills

Team building

Internal auditing

Advanced quality statistics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/science-related field

Post-graduate degree

Tools

MS Office Suite

SAP

Job description

Job Description

Posted Friday, May 29, 2026 at 4:00 AM

Job Summary

Responsible for leading, maintaining, and executing all aspects of Quality Assurance and Food Safety for the plant. Coach, teach, mentor, and manage the Quality and Food Safety teams onsite. Utilize lean tools and root cause analysis to continuously improve the existing quality system. Ensure all requirements from customers, regulatory, and 3rd party certifications are met and in compliance.

Job Duties

• Manage all Quality and Food Safety programs including HACCP, Food Safety Plans, Food Quality Plans, IA Vulnerability, and Food Defense
• Execute a robust internal audit program to ensure site it always audit ready all the time
• Participate in Maker’s Pride Production System requirements such as Drumbeat, Weekly KPI, Lean Steering Committee, and Tiered Auditing
• Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Corrective Actions/Preventative Action (CAPA) investigations
• Coach, teach, and mentor the QA and Food Safety teams to build bench strength and career paths for employees
• Collaborate with all plant leadership to drive quality culture improvements and consumer complaint reductions
• Coordinate multidisciplinary activities among various team members assuring timely, efficient and cost-effective finality
• Administrate all product specifications and associated floor instructions assuring compliance with regulatory label requirements
• Ensure food standard compliance with FDA, USDA, OSHA, GMP, and company policy
• Assess Environmental Monitoring Programs to ensure continued seek and destroy approach to pathogens
• Oversee the Hold and Release program, ensuring proper hold verifications and disposition processes
• Lead Trace and Mock Recall exercises
• Measure and monitor various company KPIs and drive for improvements in key performance areas
• Lead customer QA discussions related to quality or food safety incidents in the plan
• Advise commercialization and production teams on process specifications, process capabilities, and customer requirements to include recipe and sensory
• Support commercialization teams in integrating customer and compliance requirements into internal specifications and critical quality parameters
• SQF Practitioner and PCQI duties
• Trend and analyze data as needed to drive improvements in the plant (EMP, Pest Control, Consumer Complaints, etc.)
• Support and oversee all aspects of sanitation, including allergen matrix and control programs, chemical control programs, pest control programs, cleaning validations including all sanitation systems as assigned
• May perform other functions as needed

Required Competencies & Knowledge

• Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments
• Preventative control validations
• SMART goal setting and team coaching
• Basic RCA and CAPA tools
• 7 Steps of Sanitation

Skill in

• Team building
• Internal auditing
• Procedure and Standard Work generation
• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced quality statistics, measurement systems analysis and continuous improvement
• Strong understanding of SQF and its implementation is required. SQF Practitioner certification is a plus
• PCQI/ Food Safety Plans / HACCP Plan development and maintenance

Ability to

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Manage multiple projects at a time
• Direct various program activities within the plant
• Influence Quality Culture behaviors
• Recognize food safety & quality gaps and provide a plan to address
• Work collaboratively with all departments
• Ensure collaborative relationships with industry, trade, other associations, regulatory agencies and Hearthside staff

Proficiency in

MS Office Suite, SAP, and related tools. Frequent production environment exposure including noise, dust, heat, cold, moving machinery, forklifts, and slippery floors. 50% of work in an office setting. Handle daily employee issues. Travel up to 25%.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to use hands and fingers
• Ability to see, hear and talk
• Employee frequently required to sit
• Employee daily required to walk, climb and/or balance
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs
• Walk up to 400 yards to work and break areas
• Stand, walk and climb stairs on an infrequent basis

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business/science-related field and post-graduate degree a preferred
• Five (5) or more years of salaried leadership experience
• PCQI Certification and/or HACCP Certification
• Must be detailed-oriented, have strong self-confidence and leadership skills and have excellent oral and written communication skills
• SPC and Microsoft Suite computer experience

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are legally authorized to work in the location to which they apply.

Maker’s Pride is an Equal Opportunity Employer.