Quality Assurance Manager

Position Summary: Responsible for building food safety and quality capability on the production floor through hands-on training and coaching of QA leads, technicians, production, maintenance, and warehouse teams. Owns product adherence to specifications, food safety plans, customer requirements, and certification standards, and maintains a consistent, visible QA presence on the floor to verify that programs are followed as written.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Training & Coaching

· Develop the QA team: Train, coach, and develop QA leads and technicians so they can independently verify, document, and escalate food safety and quality issues.

· Train the floor: Deliver and maintain floor-level training for QA, production, maintenance, and warehouse employees on GMPs, allergen control, food safety plans, and product specifications — at hire, annually, and whenever a process, product, or line changes.

· Real-time coaching: Coach in the moment on the floor: correct gaps as they are observed, explain the “why,” and follow up to confirm the correct practice sticks.

· Training tools: Develop and maintain floor-accessible training tools (OPLs, job aids, visual standards) and verify training effectiveness through observation and record review.

· Accountability: Set clear expectations for the QA team and hold them accountable through regular one-on-ones, performance reviews, and performance management. Responsible for hiring and terminations within the QA department.

Product Adherence

· Specification ownership: Own product adherence to finished product specifications, formulations, labeling, customer requirements, and consumer certification standards (SQF, Organic, Gluten-Free).

· Verification: Verify that critical controls, preventive controls, line checks, and pre-op/start-up checks are performed and documented correctly; review records for completeness, accuracy, and trends.

· Nonconforming product: Lead hold, evaluation, and disposition of nonconforming product, and drive root cause analysis and corrective action (CAPA) to prevent recurrence.

· Customer complaints: Own investigation of customer and consumer complaints, including root cause, corrective action, and timely response to the customer; share findings with the floor so the same issue does not repeat.

· Trending: Trend quality data (line checks, holds, complaints, self-inspections) and share results with QA and production leadership to target coaching and improvement.

Floor Visibility

· Daily floor presence: Maintain a consistent daily presence on the production floor across shifts, including routine GMP walks, line audits, and start-up verification.

· Go-to resource: Serve as a visible, approachable resource for operators, leads, and supervisors on food safety and quality questions.

· Partnership: Partner with production and plant management to resolve food safety, quality, and regulatory issues on the floor in a timely manner.

· Escalation: Report non-compliant food safety, food quality, and employee safety issues immediately to upper management.

Program Support & Compliance

· Assist the Director of Quality in the development, implementation, and maintenance of food safety plans, GMPs, and quality programs for the food storage and manufacturing facility.

· Responsible for knowledge, maintenance, and adherence to Safe Quality Food (SQF) compliance standards.

· Gap assessments: Conduct gap assessments against SQF Edition 10, customer requirements, and regulatory changes; build action plans and track gaps through to closure.

· Trained and certified as a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI).

· Back up to the Director of Quality to ensure the plant operates in compliance with SQF requirements, customer specifications, consumer certifications, and government regulations (USDA, FDA, OSHA, State, County).

· Assist in preparation for, and participate in, external food safety and consumer-based certification audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.

· Expected to work the hours required to execute the duties of the position and set an exemplary example for all employees.

· Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

· Degree in Food Science and/or related discipline or 5-10 years of Food Manufacturing experience.

· Experience interfacing with regulatory agencies and third party auditors.

· Experience developing food safety plans, policies and procedures.

· Ability to solve problems using the combined talents of various individuals within the organization.

· Demonstrated experience training and coaching front-line teams and developing leads into independent decision-makers.

· Excellent written, oral communication skills and attention to detail.

· Excellent organizational skills and the ability to multi-task.

· Adept in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

· Possesses a passion for food safety and ability to consistently research and obtain new food safety knowledge through outside resources.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:

· Time is split about 50/50 between the production floor and the office. Floor time covers line walks, GMP audits, pre-op and start-up verification, coaching, holds, and investigations. Office time covers records review, trending, training development, CAPA, and audit preparation.

· Must be available across shifts as needed, including early start-ups, weekends, and during audits, holds, or food safety events.

· Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods on hard, wet, or slippery floors; frequently bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb stairs and platforms; and occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.

· Must be able to use hand-held instruments and a computer or tablet, and have the vision and sense of smell needed to evaluate product, labels, and equipment cleanliness.

Floor Requirements:

· Wear required PPE and GMP attire for each area (hairnet/beard net, smock, gloves, slip-resistant closed-toe shoes).

· Follow all GMP, allergen, hygiene, and plant safety rules, including handwashing, no jewelry, and lockout/tagout awareness.

· Regular exposure to loud noise, moving machinery, forklift traffic, wet conditions, food allergens, and sanitation chemicals.

Back up: Director of Quality