Sr. Manager, Quality & Food Safety

Work Location: ​Orangeburg​ ​​Due to the highly interactive nature of this manufacturing position, in-person attendance and flexibility are essential for supporting production schedules, effective communication and collaboration, real-time problem solving, and participation in cross-functional initiatives. Schedules may vary and are subject to change.​ Want to make an impact? Join us at a defining moment. We’re building the largest food manufacturing facility in our network, a bold investment that will set new standards for scale, technology, and efficiency. This is a rare opportunity to play a critical role to build a site from the ground up, shaping the people strategy, culture, and operations that will power our future. We’re looking for a builder. Someone who thrives in fast-moving, ambiguous environments and brings an entrepreneurial mindset. This role requires agility, curiosity, and a hands-on approach. You’ll be solving problems in real time, building processes from scratch, and creating a high-performing, engaged workforce from day one. If you’re driven by impact, ownership, and results, this is your chance to leave a lasting mark. The Sr. Quality Manager is the senior quality leader embedded in the Orangeburg, SC factory and accountable for setting the standard for quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and consumer protection at the site. This role is highly hands-on and expected to be visible on the floor every day, driving execution, building capability, and setting the pace for the Orangeburg operation. This leader owns the site quality and food safety agenda from raw materials through finished product release, ensuring that systems and processes are not only documented, but consistently lived on the production floor. The role requires strong technical judgment, operational urgency, and the ability to influence manufacturing, maintenance, sanitation, planning, warehousing, and leadership teams to make the right decisions in real time. The Sr. Quality Manager is responsible for creating a culture where quality is non-negotiable, issues are escalated quickly, root causes are understood, and corrective actions are sustained. This leader must be comfortable challenging the status quo, stopping production when necessary, and coaching teams to prevent repeat failures.Ways you will make a difference Factory Quality & Food Safety Leadership Lead the Orangeburg quality and food safety agenda from raw materials through finished product release. Maintain daily presence on the production floor to verify standards, coach behaviors, and drive accountability. Create a culture where quality is non-negotiable and issues are escalated quickly. Product & Systems Compliance Serve as the senior site authority for product holds, risk assessments, escalations, and dispositions Ensure compliance with company policies, FDA requirements, FSMA, HACCP/HARPC, GFSI standards, customer requirements, and regulatory expectations. Lead site readiness for internal audits, regulatory inspections, customer audits, and corporate assessments. Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement Lead investigations for consumer complaints, foreign material events, micro failures, labeling concerns, process deviations, and other site risks. Drive disciplined RCCA and CAPA to eliminate repeat failures and strengthen controls. Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Continuous Improvement to solve issues at the source. Team Leadership & Capability Building Lead and develop the site FSQA team with clear decision rights, shift coverage, and accountability. Build technical capability through coaching, training, floor-based verification, and practical problem solving. Strengthen FSQA partnership with operators, supervisors, mechanics, sanitation teams, and site leaders. Site Leadership Partnership Act as a key member of the Orangeburg site leadership team. Bring strong food safety and quality perspective to operational decisions, capital projects, new product launches, commercialization, line trials, and improvement initiatives. Challenge decisions when product safety, compliance, quality, or consumer trust may be at risk. Skills that will make you successful Strong operational acumen and ability to influence cross-functional teams Experience driving cultural and operational transformation initiatives Experiences that will support your success Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Microbiology, or related field required; advanced degree preferred 10+ years of progressive manufacturing quality leadership experience within food or consumer packaged goods manufacturing Minimum 5 years in plant quality management Strong expertise in GMPs, HACCP, sanitation, environmental monitoring, SPC, and process controls Experience with SAP, quality management systems, specification systems, laboratory systems, and manufacturing data systems preferred. Why this role is different This isn’t about maintaining an existing operation, it’s about building, leading, and shaping a site from day one. You’ll sit at the leadership table, build a team and culture that lasts, connect local impact with enterprise strategy, and help establish a strong presence both inside the plant and in the Orangeburg community. What We Offer At Ferrara, we're proud to support our employees with comprehensive benefits that enhance health, financial wellness, and include paid time off (PTO). Eligible employees may also receive an annual bonus based on company performance. Learn more about our benefits at The salary range for this role is $98,843 - $138,381 annually.