Director of Quality Assurance

Director Of Quality Assurance

The Director will design and maintain comprehensive quality and food safety policies and procedures, partner closely with cross-functional leaders, and ensure full compliance with all dairy-related regulations. This leader works collaboratively with Operations, R&D, Procurement, Logistics, and other teams to embed quality and food safety into daily operations and long-term planning.

Key responsibilities include developing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive Quality Control and Food Safety program; building and overseeing a robust product testing program; leading the Corporate Quality Assurance & Food Safety function; providing functional guidance and support to Plant Management and Plant Quality Assurance teams; managing the internal audit program for manufacturing plants, DSD operations, co-packers, ingredient and packaging suppliers, and distribution partners; leading activation and coordination of product recalls; conducting mock recalls across all manufacturing locations, co-packers, and distribution centers; overseeing the Customer and Consumer complaint response process; maintaining strong relationships with industry organizations to stay ahead of regulatory changes and emerging trends; serving as the senior liaison with regulatory agencies on all Quality and Food Safety matters; developing and tracking key metrics and benchmarks for companywide QA & FS performance; establishing regular quality and product safety reviews with local teams to reinforce accountability and continuous improvement; creating and maintaining a corporate review process in partnership with R&D, Sales, and Marketing; ensuring compliance with company, local, state, and federal regulations; supporting regulatory and third-party audits and day-to-day plant operations; and upholding and enforcing all food safety and quality system requirements, including regulatory, customer, and Safe Quality Foods (SQF) standards.

Qualifications and experience include a Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related field; ten (10) years of experience in dairy manufacturing or related food production, including at least five (5) years in a management role; broad business experience, including budget and cost management; exceptional written and verbal communication skills; strong leadership capabilities with demonstrated success managing teams and priorities across multiple locations; highly self-directed, with strong organizational skills and the ability to set priorities and execute responsibilities independently; proven ability to guide and develop team members to meet deliverables and performance expectations; and proficiency in standard business software, including spreadsheets, word processing, and presentation tools.