Director of Quality

Quality Director

The Quality Director provides strategic and operational leadership for all Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Sanitation Programs, and Laboratory Operations within the plant. Takes a leadership role in managing food safety and quality risk by applying knowledge, experience and acting as an interface between production and quality to drive improvement in the plant's quality culture. The Quality Director is also responsible for overall management and development of four direct reports: Two QA Supervisors/Specialists, a Sanitation leader and Laboratory leader.

This position is responsible for establishing and maintaining a world-class food safety and quality culture while ensuring compliance with all applicable FDA, FSMA, SQF, customer, organic, kosher, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive continuous improvement in food safety and quality by ensuring that all customer complaints, inquiries, internal hold events and deviations are logged, investigated, and corrected utilizing established protocols such as DMAIC. Take proactive steps to minimize business impact including quarantining product, investigating, reporting root cause, corrective action, and preventive action.
• Lead plant audit readiness by organizing and participating in internal GMP inspections, SQF annual internal audits, trending data, driving internal improvement, and meeting regularly with key stakeholders.
• Responsible for leading regulatory inspections, third party audits (SQF and Organic), customer audits and kosher inspections.
• Direct the plant's HACCP plan in accordance with FDA Regulations and the SQF code. This includes leading an annual review, whenever there are significant events, complaints, or plant changes. Ensure production and HACCP records are reviewed and approved prior to final release. Lead regular direct observations of CCP checks as further verification.
• Lead key programs such as CAPA and Hold/Release to support audit readiness and quality improvement.
• Overall responsibility in managing the plant's quality database. This includes ensuring final release of raw materials, intermediate products and finished products (COAs) for further processing or customer shipment. Non-conforming product must be managed through the same system to ensure appropriate quarantine pending a disposition decision.
• Provide support, guidance, training/development, and management of all direct reports.
• Manage and liaise with internal and support departments to ensure quality, food safety, and appropriate sampling of products from receiving through to finished products.
• Liaise with the purchasing department regarding tracking existing vendor performance and approving new vendors through supplier quality documentation review, on site audits of both.
• Lead business efforts on continuous improvement by providing quality, food safety and laboratory support on improvement projects with the support of the QA Manager, Production, and Laboratory Technicians.
• Lead key quality prerequisite and preventative control programs in conjunction with owners (Quality, Production, Supply Chain, Purchasing and Maintenance) to comply with FDA regulations and the SQF Code. (i.e. - Pest Control, Traceability (including mock recalls), Hold & Release, Sanitation, EMP, GMP/Personnel Practices, GLP, PM, Foreign Material Control, Organic Program, Water Supply, Food Defense, Training, Calibration, Supplier QA/FSMA, Receiving/Shipping Practices, Allergen Control and Site Operation.
• Lead and participate in regular meetings and provide input on key quality metrics and trends to further improve quality and food safety.
• Participate in projects related to plant design improvements to ensure quality and food safety requirements are planned for and adhered to, specifically sanitary design.
• Support customer service in maintaining customer document requests either directly or through systems
• Maintain the company's standard operating procedures (SOPs) in compliance with company and SQF policies.
• Develop and foster trusting relationships with key personnel (Production, R&D, Purchasing and Supply Chain)

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum 10-15 years of progressive food manufacturing quality and food safety experience.
• Bachelor's degree in food science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Food Engineering, Quality Management, or a related scientific discipline required. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing Quality Assurance teams in a food manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, or equivalent GFSI-benchmarked food safety programs.
• SQF Practitioner Certification
• PCQI Certified
• HACCP trained. HACCP certified preferred
• Knowledge of NOP Organic regulations required

Skills, Traits, & Competencies:

• Critical thinking and forward planning abilities
• Clear and precise oral and written communication
• High sense of urgency, able to drive projects and tasks to completion
• Collaborative; thrives in a team environment
• Proficient in MS suite programs
• Ability to lead, coach, and develop a team
• Calm under pressure. Able to multitask.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Quality Auditor (CQA)
• Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 45 pounds at times.
• Must be able to climb stairs and ladders.

About Vibrant Ingredients

Founded in 1954, Vibrant Ingredients is a leading provider of natural, clean label ingredients and systems that power extraordinary food and beverage experiences. The company's broad portfolio — including natural flavors, botanical extracts, functional nutrition, cold brew coffee, tea essences, and food protection solutions — enhances taste, texture, color, shelf life, and performance across a wide range of applications. Vibrant operates four state-of-the-art facilities across the United States and works with leading brands, manufacturers, and foodservice operators. With vertically integrated capabilities and a proven track record of innovation and execution, Vibrant helps customers accelerate to market without compromise.