Quality Manager Assurance & Food Safety
QUALITY MANAGER
• Food Safety & Quality Systems
Department
• Quality Assurance / Food Safety
Reports To
• Vice President of Operations, General Manager, or President
FLSA Status
• Exempt
Position Summary
The Quality Manager is responsible for the development, implementation, verification,
and continuous improvement of the company's Food Safety and Quality Management
Systems. This position serves as the designated Quality leader for the facility and
provides authority and oversight for food safety, regulatory compliance, product quality,
sanitation effectiveness, environmental monitoring, supplier management, traceability,
recall preparedness, and continuous improvement initiatives.
The Quality Manager ensures compliance with applicable FDA regulations, including
Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), Preventive Controls for Human Food
(21 CFR Part 117), and customer requirements. The position has the authority to place
products on hold, stop production for food safety concerns, and release finished
products.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• Serve as the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) or oversee PCQI
activities.
• Develop, implement, review, and maintain the Food Safety Plan.
• Lead hazard analyses and reassessments.
• Manage preventive controls, monitoring, verification, validation, and corrective
action programs.
• Ensure facility compliance with FDA regulations, FSMA requirements, customer
standards, and company policies.
• Maintain readiness for FDA inspections, customer audits, and third-party
certification audits (if applicable).
• Interpret regulatory requirements and communicate compliance obligations to
facility management.
• Serve as primary contact during regulatory inspections and food safety
investigations.
Quality Management Systems
• Develop, implement, and maintain:
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 2 of 2
• Quality Management Systems (QMS)
• Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS)
• SOPs
• SSOPs
• GMP programs
• Document Control Programs
• CAPA Programs
• Environmental Monitoring Programs
• Product Hold and Release Programs
• Calibration Programs
• Ensure all quality and food safety documentation remains current, controlled,
and audit ready.
Ready-to-Eat Food Safety Programs
• Establish and oversee environmental monitoring programs for pathogen control.
• Evaluate sanitation effectiveness through environmental and operational
verification activities.
• Review microbiological testing results and initiate corrective actions where
required.
• Lead investigations associated with pathogen findings, product deviations, and
food safety incidents.
• Ensure hygienic zoning and preventive controls appropriate for RTE food
operations.
Supplier Quality and Ingredient Approval
• Manage Approved Supplier Program.
• Evaluate supplier performance through risk assessments, questionnaires,
certificates, audits, and documentation review.
• Approve raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials, and service providers.
• Conduct supplier corrective action activities as necessary.
Product Quality Oversight
• Establish quality specifications for raw materials, work-in-process products, and
finished goods.
• Review and approve finished product release decisions.
• Investigate nonconforming products and quality deviations.
• Perform root cause analysis using appropriate problem-solving methodologies.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurring issues.
Recall and Traceability
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 3 of 2
• Maintain company Recall and Crisis Management Programs.
• Lead mock recalls and traceability exercises.
• Coordinate food safety incident investigations.
• Manage product withdrawal and recall activities when required.
• Ensure complete traceability of ingredients, packaging, work-in-process, and
finished products.
Audit Management
• Plan and execute internal audits.
• Coordinate third-party, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Develop action plans for audit findings and verify completion.
• Report audit outcomes and trends to executive leadership.
Customer and Consumer Affairs
• Investigate customer complaints and consumer issues.
• Conduct trend analysis of complaints and quality incidents.
• Develop corrective actions and communicate findings appropriately.
• Act as primary liaison with customer quality representatives.
Leadership and Personnel Development
• Supervise Quality Assurance Technicians, Quality Supervisors, Sanitation
personnel, and laboratory staff as assigned.
• Recruit, train, coach, mentor, and develop department personnel.
• Conduct performance evaluations and establish employee development plans.
• Promote an effective Food Safety and Quality Culture throughout the
organization.
• Lead food safety, GMP, sanitation, allergen control, and quality training programs.
Continuous Improvement
• Analyze quality and food safety data for trends and opportunities.
• Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce defects, complaints, food
safety risk, and waste.
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Warehousing,
Procurement, and Leadership teams.
Authority
The Quality Manager has authority to:
• Place products on hold.
• Release or reject finished goods.
• Stop production for food safety or quality concerns.
• Initiate corrective actions.
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 4 of 2
• Recommend process changes required to maintain regulatory compliance.
• Escalate significant food safety risks to executive management.
Required Qualifications
Education
Bachelor's Degree in one of the following preferred:
• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Dairy Science
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Food Engineering
• Related scientific discipline
Equivalent experience may be considered.
Experience
• Minimum 5 years food manufacturing quality experience.
• Minimum 3 years management experience.
• Experience in FDA-regulated food facilities.
• Experience in Ready-to-Eat food manufacturing preferred.
• Experience with regulatory inspections and GFSI certification audits.
• Demonstrated experience conducting root cause investigations and CAPA
management.
Required Certifications
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Strong knowledge of:
o FSMA
o 21 CFR Part 117
o FDA cGMP regulations
o Environmental Monitoring Programs
o HACCP principles
o Allergen Controls
o Sanitation Controls
o Supply Chain Programs
o Recall Management
• Ability to:
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 5 of 2
o Lead cross-functional teams.
o Perform risk assessments.
o Conduct statistical and trend analysis.
o Write procedures and policies.
o Interpret regulatory requirements.
o Manage multiple priorities.
o Communicate effectively with regulators, customers, and executive
leadership.
• Proficiency in:
o Microsoft Office Suite
o Excel
o ERP and traceability systems
Physical Requirements
• Frequent walking throughout production, warehouse, and office environments.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to enter refrigerated, frozen, and processing environments as required.
• Ability to perform facility inspections and investigations throughout all operational
areas.
Work Environment
Approximately:
• 30% Office Environment
• 70% Production, Warehouse, and Sanitation Areas
Exposure may include:
• Wet processing environments
• Refrigerated areas
• Production noise
• Food ingredients and cleaning chemicals
• Food Safety & Quality Systems
Department
• Quality Assurance / Food Safety
Reports To
• Vice President of Operations, General Manager, or President
FLSA Status
• Exempt
Position Summary
The Quality Manager is responsible for the development, implementation, verification,
and continuous improvement of the company's Food Safety and Quality Management
Systems. This position serves as the designated Quality leader for the facility and
provides authority and oversight for food safety, regulatory compliance, product quality,
sanitation effectiveness, environmental monitoring, supplier management, traceability,
recall preparedness, and continuous improvement initiatives.
The Quality Manager ensures compliance with applicable FDA regulations, including
Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), Preventive Controls for Human Food
(21 CFR Part 117), and customer requirements. The position has the authority to place
products on hold, stop production for food safety concerns, and release finished
products.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• Serve as the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) or oversee PCQI
activities.
• Develop, implement, review, and maintain the Food Safety Plan.
• Lead hazard analyses and reassessments.
• Manage preventive controls, monitoring, verification, validation, and corrective
action programs.
• Ensure facility compliance with FDA regulations, FSMA requirements, customer
standards, and company policies.
• Maintain readiness for FDA inspections, customer audits, and third-party
certification audits (if applicable).
• Interpret regulatory requirements and communicate compliance obligations to
facility management.
• Serve as primary contact during regulatory inspections and food safety
investigations.
Quality Management Systems
• Develop, implement, and maintain:
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 2 of 2
• Quality Management Systems (QMS)
• Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS)
• SOPs
• SSOPs
• GMP programs
• Document Control Programs
• CAPA Programs
• Environmental Monitoring Programs
• Product Hold and Release Programs
• Calibration Programs
• Ensure all quality and food safety documentation remains current, controlled,
and audit ready.
Ready-to-Eat Food Safety Programs
• Establish and oversee environmental monitoring programs for pathogen control.
• Evaluate sanitation effectiveness through environmental and operational
verification activities.
• Review microbiological testing results and initiate corrective actions where
required.
• Lead investigations associated with pathogen findings, product deviations, and
food safety incidents.
• Ensure hygienic zoning and preventive controls appropriate for RTE food
operations.
Supplier Quality and Ingredient Approval
• Manage Approved Supplier Program.
• Evaluate supplier performance through risk assessments, questionnaires,
certificates, audits, and documentation review.
• Approve raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials, and service providers.
• Conduct supplier corrective action activities as necessary.
Product Quality Oversight
• Establish quality specifications for raw materials, work-in-process products, and
finished goods.
• Review and approve finished product release decisions.
• Investigate nonconforming products and quality deviations.
• Perform root cause analysis using appropriate problem-solving methodologies.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurring issues.
Recall and Traceability
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 3 of 2
• Maintain company Recall and Crisis Management Programs.
• Lead mock recalls and traceability exercises.
• Coordinate food safety incident investigations.
• Manage product withdrawal and recall activities when required.
• Ensure complete traceability of ingredients, packaging, work-in-process, and
finished products.
Audit Management
• Plan and execute internal audits.
• Coordinate third-party, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Develop action plans for audit findings and verify completion.
• Report audit outcomes and trends to executive leadership.
Customer and Consumer Affairs
• Investigate customer complaints and consumer issues.
• Conduct trend analysis of complaints and quality incidents.
• Develop corrective actions and communicate findings appropriately.
• Act as primary liaison with customer quality representatives.
Leadership and Personnel Development
• Supervise Quality Assurance Technicians, Quality Supervisors, Sanitation
personnel, and laboratory staff as assigned.
• Recruit, train, coach, mentor, and develop department personnel.
• Conduct performance evaluations and establish employee development plans.
• Promote an effective Food Safety and Quality Culture throughout the
organization.
• Lead food safety, GMP, sanitation, allergen control, and quality training programs.
Continuous Improvement
• Analyze quality and food safety data for trends and opportunities.
• Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce defects, complaints, food
safety risk, and waste.
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Warehousing,
Procurement, and Leadership teams.
Authority
The Quality Manager has authority to:
• Place products on hold.
• Release or reject finished goods.
• Stop production for food safety or quality concerns.
• Initiate corrective actions.
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 4 of 2
• Recommend process changes required to maintain regulatory compliance.
• Escalate significant food safety risks to executive management.
Required Qualifications
Education
Bachelor's Degree in one of the following preferred:
• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Dairy Science
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Food Engineering
• Related scientific discipline
Equivalent experience may be considered.
Experience
• Minimum 5 years food manufacturing quality experience.
• Minimum 3 years management experience.
• Experience in FDA-regulated food facilities.
• Experience in Ready-to-Eat food manufacturing preferred.
• Experience with regulatory inspections and GFSI certification audits.
• Demonstrated experience conducting root cause investigations and CAPA
management.
Required Certifications
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Strong knowledge of:
o FSMA
o 21 CFR Part 117
o FDA cGMP regulations
o Environmental Monitoring Programs
o HACCP principles
o Allergen Controls
o Sanitation Controls
o Supply Chain Programs
o Recall Management
• Ability to:
QUALITY MANAGER
Page 5 of 2
o Lead cross-functional teams.
o Perform risk assessments.
o Conduct statistical and trend analysis.
o Write procedures and policies.
o Interpret regulatory requirements.
o Manage multiple priorities.
o Communicate effectively with regulators, customers, and executive
leadership.
• Proficiency in:
o Microsoft Office Suite
o Excel
o ERP and traceability systems
Physical Requirements
• Frequent walking throughout production, warehouse, and office environments.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to enter refrigerated, frozen, and processing environments as required.
• Ability to perform facility inspections and investigations throughout all operational
areas.
Work Environment
Approximately:
• 30% Office Environment
• 70% Production, Warehouse, and Sanitation Areas
Exposure may include:
• Wet processing environments
• Refrigerated areas
• Production noise
• Food ingredients and cleaning chemicals