Sr. Quality Compliance Manager

Maker's Pride; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Maker's Pride in Grand Rapids, MI seeks a Senior Quality Compliance Manager to drive regulatory compliance across USDA/FDA facilities, lead audit readiness, validation programs, and CAPA, and partner with QA teams for continuous improvement. This role requires strong SQF/BRC knowledge, SAP experience, data analytics, and allergen controls, with travel up to 30%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or science; related experience preferred.
• 5+ years leading quality or food safety in manufacturing.
• FDA/USDA regulatory experience preferred.
• CQE/CQM or similar certification a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintain audit readiness for USDA/FDA inspections.
• Lead or support site audits and CAPA closure.
• Coordinate validation programs and allergen controls.
• Ensure timely responses to regulatory inquiries and submissions.
• Support SQF/BRC program management and continual improvement.
• Train QA staff and collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Audit leadership

Regulatory compliance

CAPA management

Food safety culture

Communication

Data analysis

Allergen control

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/science-related field

Tools

SAP

Master Data

TraceGains

Alchemy

MS Office

Job description

Job Summary

The Senior Quality Compliance Manager is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving and sustaining compliance across multiple USDA- and FDA-regulated facilities. This position ensures designated sites consistently meet regulatory, customer, and corporate requirements through oversight of audit readiness, validation programs, compliance responses, and continuous improvement efforts. The role supports and collaborates with local QAMs, provides training, and acts as a key resource during high-profile visits or regulatory inspections.

Job Duties

• Ensure defined sites are audit-ready at all times, supporting QAMs in managing internal, customer, third-party, and regulatory inspections (USDA-FSIS, FDA).
• Act as site liaison during regulatory or high‑level customer visits in the absence of the QAM, supporting Regional QAMs or Directors as needed.
• Ensure timely and complete execution of validation programs, including allergen validations, oven validations, SOP/SSOP validations, and annual Food Safety Plan reviews.
• Ensure site management is following internal audit program, and monitor and track performance, elevate violations or when program is not in compliance.
• Monitor allergen controls to ensure sites maintain a state of allergen readiness, with validated procedures, updated records, and compliant practices.
• Support the development, review, and update of SOPs, SSOPs, HACCP, and Food Safety Plans in coordination with site as part of annual validation and improvement cycles.
• Lead or support site audits, non-conformance investigations, and drive CAPA completion and effectiveness verification.
• Ensure all compliance responses (internal, customer, or regulatory) are completed on time, and assist with drafting, reviewing, and submitting responses to ensure accuracy and alignment.
• SQF Program management, including executing gap assessments, tracking and trending compliance.
• Track training compliance and elevate gaps on critical job specific compliance gaps, such as CCP certifications training needs.
• Issue and communicate updates related to policies, procedures, and regulatory changes, ensuring sites implement them effectively through training and documentation.
• Partner with Procurement and Corporate QA on supplier compliance, ingredient risk evaluations, and resolution of supplier non‑conformances.
• Foster and support Food Safety Culture, providing ongoing compliance training and coaching to QA teams and broader plant personnel.
• Understanding of Environmental program management and how Non conformances are tracked.
• Customer Complaint Management across multiple sites Execute and manage meetings to show progress.
• Lead site management base trainings, such as CAPA training for managers.
• Other duties as assigned by RQAM, FSQA Director or QA VP.

Required Competencies & Knowledge

Knowledge of:

• Makers Pride procurement, products and production processes.
• Knowledge and experience with SAP, Master Data, Trace Gain, Alchemy a plus!
• Microsoft Knowledge a must (Outlook, Word, Excel etc.)

Skilled in:

• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced quality statistics, measurement systems analysis and continuous improvement required.
• Strong understanding of SQF/BRC and its implementation is required.
• Experience w/ Quality systems and knowledge of pre‑requisite programs required.
• Knowledge of Customer Expectation management, including audit preparation and program management.
• Maintaining harmonious relationships and effectively communicating with all customers, suppliers, local, site and corporate‑wide MP employees.

Ability to:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, analytical ability, leadership strength and ability to effectively work with all levels of the organization.
• Strong self‑starter and can work with minimal direction.

Proficiency in:

• MS Office Suite, Excel, Power Point (SAP, Trace Gain a plus)

Certifications:

• HACCP Certified (USDA-compliant) (Must unless has PCQI Certificate)
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) (Must unless has HACCP Certificate)
• SQF Practitioner or BRC Internal Auditor (preferred)

Work Environment

Work is primarily done in an office setting. Infrequent production environment exposure, which includes noise, dust, moving machinery, fork lifts and fluctuations in temperature. Travel up to +30%

Physical Requirements

Sitting at a work station for extended periods of time. Stand, walk and climb stairs on an infrequent basis. Must be able to lift 25 pounds on an infrequent basis.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business/science-related field is preferred but will consider years of experience; post‑graduate degree a plus.
• Five (5) - Seven (7) years of related work experience, including experience managing and leading a Quality and food safety / sanitation staff in a related food manufacturing environment (i.e., baked bar, granola manufacture, bread, cold form bar, cookies, crackers, RTE etc).
• Dual site FDA and USDA Experience preferred.
• American Society for Quality Certification, such as CQE, CQM status is a plus.

Must be detailed‑oriented, have strong self‑confidence and leadership skills and have excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be able to uphold Makers Pride's mission, vision and values on a daily basis.