Site Quality and Food Safety Manager

CPS Inc.; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

CPS Inc. is seeking a Site Quality and Food Safety Manager in Ohio to lead QA and food safety programs across our manufacturing site.

This hands-on role partners with Operations, R&D, and Regulatory to ensure products are safe, legal, and meet customer and company standards. The ideal candidate has extensive sauce manufacturing and thermal processing experience, with a track record of driving continuous improvement, audits, CAPAs, and compliant documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive Quality Assurance experience in the food manufacturing industry; 2 years of leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, PCQI, and SQF/BRC requirements; FDA and FSMA regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all site Quality Assurance and Food Safety activities.
• Foster a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the organization.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, state regulations, customer requirements, and company policies.
• Maintain and continuously improve the site’s Food Safety and Quality Management System.
• Oversee implementation and verification of HACCP, PCQI, and related programs.
• Lead audits and manage corrective actions from audits and customer complaints.
• Provide quality oversight for all manufacturing operations and support new product launches.
• Lead, coach, and develop the site Quality team; drive cross‑functional collaboration.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Communication

Problem-solving

Documentation accuracy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or related

Master’s degree asset

Job description

Site Quality and Food Safety Manager

The Site Quality Manager is responsible for leading all Quality Assurance and Food Safety programs at the manufacturing facility to ensure products are safe, legal, and meet customer and company quality standards. This role provides leadership for the Quality team while partnering closely with Operations, R&D, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Regulatory to drive a strong food safety culture and continuous improvement across the site. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with extensive experience in sauce manufacturing, thermal processing, and FDA-regulated food production. This individual will ensure compliance with all regulatory, customer, and certification requirements while supporting operational excellence and new product commercialization.

Key Responsibilities

Quality & Food Safety Leadership

• Lead and manage all site Quality Assurance and Food Safety activities.
• Foster a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the organization.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, state regulations, customer requirements, and company policies.
• Maintain and continuously improve the site’s Food Safety and Quality Management System.
• Oversee implementation and verification of HACCP, Preventive Controls, Environmental Monitoring, Allergen Control, GMPs, Sanitation, and Supplier Quality programs.
• Serve as the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) or ensure qualified coverage.

Regulatory & Certification Compliance

• Maintain compliance with HACCP, FSMA, SQF or BRC standards.
• Lead all third‑party, customer, FDA, and internal audits.
• Manage corrective and preventative actions resulting from audits, customer complaints, and non‑conformances.
• Ensure accurate documentation and record retention in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Manufacturing Quality

• Provide quality oversight for all manufacturing operations.
• Support production of acidified, low‑acid, refrigerated, and ambient shelf‑stable products.
• Ensure proper control of critical processing parameters, include: Thermal processing Hot-fill operations Pasteurization Cooling and filling operations pH, water activity, and other critical quality attributes.
• Monitor product quality trends and implement preventive actions.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop the site Quality team.
• Establish performance goals and support employee development.
• Promote cross‑functional collaboration between Quality, Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and R&D.
• Build accountability while encouraging continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

• Analyze quality metrics and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead root cause investigations using structured problem‑solving tools.
• Drive reductions in customer complaints, waste, rework, and non‑conforming products.
• Participate in capital projects, process improvements, and new product launches.

Customer & Supplier Quality

• Support customer visits and quality reviews.
• Respond to customer quality concerns and lead investigations.
• Work closely with suppliers to ensure incoming materials meet specifications.
• Collaborate with R&D during commercialization and scale‑up of new products.

Salary & Benefits

Salary $110,000 - $130,000 + Bonus Benefits Available

Qualifications

• Education Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or a related scientific discipline. Master’s degree is considered an asset.
• Experience Minimum 5 years of progressive Quality Assurance experience in the food manufacturing industry. Minimum 2 years of leadership experience managing Quality teams. Experience in sauce, dressing, condiment, dip, or liquid food manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Required Technical Qualifications Strong knowledge of HACCP, PCQI, and SQF/BRC requirements. Experience with FDA and FSMA regulatory compliance. Strong understanding of acidified and low‑acid food manufacturing. Knowledge of Better Process Control School (BPCS) requirements and thermal processing regulations. Experience with hot‑fill processes, pasteurization, and thermal processing. Experience with ambient shelf‑stable and refrigerated food manufacturing. Strong understanding of wet sauce processing and manufacturing operations. Experience managing environmental monitoring, allergen control, sanitation, and preventive controls. Experience leading FDA, customer, and third‑party certification audits.
• Certifications Preventative Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification preferred. Better Process Control School (BPCS) certification required or ability to obtain shortly after hire. HACCP Certification required. SQF Practitioner certification is considered an asset.
• Core Competencies Strong leadership and team development skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities. Proven problem‑solving and root cause analysis skills. Strong decision‑making ability under pressure. Excellent organizational and project management skills. High attention to detail and documentation accuracy. Ability to influence cross‑functional teams without direct authority. Continuous improvement mindset with a hands‑on approach.

Working Environment

Manufacturing environment with regular exposure to production areas. Ability to spend significant time on the production floors. Occasional travel may be required for training, supplier visits, customer meetings, or support to other company locations.

Success Measures

• Successful completion of FDA, customer, and third‑party audits.
• Reduction in customer complaints and internal quality defects.
• Achievement of food safety and quality KPIs.
• Strong employee engagement and development within the Quality team.