Quality Manager

Quality Assurance Manager

Location: Santa Fe Springs, CA
Compensation: $117,500 - $127,000 Base Salary + 10% Bonus
Schedule: Monday-Friday (some weekends as needed)

About the Opportunity

Our client, a growing manufacturer in the food, nutraceutical, and dietary supplement industry, is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager to lead quality and food safety programs across multiple production facilities. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for maintaining regulatory compliance, driving continuous improvement initiatives, managing audit readiness, and developing a high-performing quality team.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on quality leader with a strong background in food manufacturing, HACCP, SQF, and GMP programs. This individual thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building robust quality systems, and collaborates effectively across Operations, R&D, Procurement, and Production to ensure products consistently meet customer, regulatory, and company standards.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Systems & Food Safety Leadership

• Lead and manage the Quality Assurance department, including QA staff across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Oversee the company's Quality Management System (QMS), food safety programs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage and maintain SQF requirements, HACCP/Food Safety Plans, cGMP programs, SOPs, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements, FDA regulations, food safety certification standards, and internal policies.

Audit & Regulatory Compliance

• Serve as the primary quality representative for customer, third-party, and regulatory audits.
• Lead audit preparation and execution for FDA, SQF, customer, and third-party inspections.
• Manage internal audit programs, supplier audits, recall exercises, CAPA processes, and complaint investigations.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.

Quality Operations

• Oversee QA floor support activities, batch record review, testing programs, calibration processes, and product release functions.
• Ensure effective allergen control, environmental monitoring, sanitation verification, and food safety programs.
• Monitor quality metrics and implement corrective actions to improve performance and reduce risk.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate with Operations, R&D, Procurement, and Production on quality initiatives, new product launches, supplier qualification, and process improvements.
• Support plant trials, product development projects, and manufacturing optimization efforts.
• Act as a trusted partner and subject matter expert on food safety and quality matters.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, train, mentor, and develop Quality team members.
• Provide leadership in scheduling, coaching, performance management, and employee development.
• Deliver quality and food safety training programs that support company objectives and strengthen the culture of quality.
• Partner with Human Resources on interviewing, employee relations, performance evaluations, and team development initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• 3-5+ years of Quality Assurance management experience within a food, nutraceutical, dietary supplement, or related manufacturing environment.
• HACCP Certification required.
• Strong knowledge of SQF, GMP, FDA regulations, food safety systems, and quality management processes.
• Experience leading FDA, SQF, customer, and third-party audits.
• Proven experience managing and developing Quality Assurance teams.
• Bilingual English/Spanish required.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability and willingness to support operations across multiple manufacturing facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• SQF Practitioner certification.
• NSF certification and/or Internal Auditor certification.
• Experience managing quality systems for multiple manufacturing sites.
• Experience with electronic Quality Management Systems (eQMS) and quality databases.
• Background in continuous improvement and operational excellence programs.