Quality Assurance Manager

Job Summary

MUST be Bilingual - English / Spanish

Reporting to the Technical Director and Vice President of Manufacturing Operations and Technical, the Plant Quality Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of the Quality Assurance and Food Safety / Defense programs at a food manufacturing facility. Key responsibilities include managing third-party audits, developing and maintaining the HACCP plan, ensuring employee compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), conducting internal audits, and maintaining regulatory compliance. The role also involves managing external contractors related to food safety (e.g., pest control, sanitation, lab equipment), resolving customer complaints, and ensuring adherence to applicable food safety and regulatory standards such as FDA, FSMA, CFIA, and CODEX.

Essential Functions

Maintain and verify compliance with food safety procedures and policies.

Lead development and implementation of facility food safety, employee safety, and quality training programs.

Establish continuous improvement initiatives and annual goals for the QA program to ensure product quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Develop tools to report KPIs, analyze trends, and drive process and quality improvements.

Collaborate with plant leadership and cross-functional teams to support production and resolve QA issues.

Coordinate HACCP & HARPC program implementation, training, and recordkeeping.

Report food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance concerns.

Oversee internal audits and manage third-party audit processes.

Organize and oversee internal product testing (physical and sensory) across all production stages.

Manage external lab testing and maintain product retain records in compliance with regulations.

Work with corporate technical teams to meet customer requirements, including new product development.

Coordinate product line extension validation and documentation.

Manage external contractors (e.g., pest control, sanitation chemicals, uniforms).

Support EHS training and safety program implementation.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related field

HACCP Certification

5+ years of experience managing food safety / QA teams in manufacturing (food, personal care, supplements, or pharma)

Bilingual (Spanish)

Proven success with third-party audits

Experience mentoring and coaching team members

FSMA Certified (PCQI) or equivalent experience