DIRECTOR OF QUALITY & FOOD SAFETY

Job Description

Job Description

SUMMARY

The Director of Quality & Food Safety is the senior, on‑site quality leader for a single dairy manufacturing facility, responsible for driving daily execution and long-term performance of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs. This role is highly operational and hands-on, serving as a process authority and technical leader within the plant while actively participating in plant activities and continuous improvement initiatives.

The Director partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, R&D, and the Site Lean/Six Sigma Champion to integrate food safety and quality into manufacturing processes, eliminate variation, and strengthen risk-based decision-making. This position leads the site Quality team and ensures the facility consistently produces safe, compliant, and high‑quality dairy products.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

On‑Site Quality & Food Safety Leadership

• Serve as the primary food safety and quality authority for the plant, providing real-time decision-making support to Operations and Plant Leadership
• Actively participate in daily plant activities including Gemba walks, production meetings, shift handoffs, changeovers, and troubleshooting
• Drive a culture of open communication, accountability, and shared ownership of food safety and quality across all departments and shifts

Cross‑Functional Communication, Agility & Customer Focus

• Maintain clear, frequent, and effective communication with Production, Engineering, Supply Chain, R&D, Maintenance, and Customer Service to quickly address quality concerns and operational risks
• Translate customer requirements, complaints, and quality expectations into actionable plant-level controls and process improvements
• Enable faster, data-driven decision-making by ensuring timely escalation, alignment, and closure of quality and food safety issues
• Partner with plant leadership to balance customer responsiveness, operational flexibility, and food safety risk management

Quality Systems & Regulatory Compliance

• Own and administer the site Safe Quality Food (SQF) program, ensuring sustained certification and audit readiness
• Ensure compliance with FDA, Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), customer standards, and internal requirements
• Lead regulatory inspections, customer audits, internal audits, and corrective action follow-up

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Work closely with the Site Lean/Six Sigma Champion to reduce process variation, quality defects, and food safety risks
• Participate in Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives focused on throughput, quality, and waste reduction
• Serve as a process authority for new equipment, process changes, line modifications, and new product introductions
• Lead cross-functional root cause analysis and Corrective/Preventive Action (CAPA) activities using structured problem-solving methodologies

Supplier, Material & Process Quality

• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure raw material quality, supplier compliance, and effective issue resolution
• Support supplier corrective actions and risk assessments as needed

Customer Issues, Risk & Crisis Management

• Act as the site technical lead for customer complaints, quality concerns, and food safety issues
• Ensure thorough investigations, root cause identification, and timely, effective corrective actions
• Support product holds, withdrawals, recalls, and crisis response efforts when required

Data, Metrics & Performance Monitoring

• Track, analyze, and communicate quality and food safety KPIs to plant leadership
• Use Quality Management System (QMS), Laboratory Information Systems (LIMS), and quality data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Promote transparency and shared understanding of quality performance across departments

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead and develop the site Quality & Food Safety team
• Ensure effective onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management
• Train plant personnel on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety expectations, quality standards, and customer requirements
• Perform other plant-related responsibilities aligned with business objectives

QUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field
• 7–10 years of progressive experience in food quality and food safety within manufacturing, with direct experience in dairy processing strongly preferred
• 5+ years of on-site quality leadership experience (Manager, Senior Manager, or Plant QA Director equivalent)
• Required certifications:
  • HACCP
  • SQF Practitioner
  • Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI)
• Strong working knowledge of dairy operations, food microbiology, food pathogens, PMO, CFRs, and FDA regulations
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with:
  • Root cause analysis and CAPA
  • Process validation and change management
  • Gemba-based problem solving
• Experience working with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies; collaboration with site CI teams required
• Proficiency with LIMS, QMS, and quality data systems
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence operators, supervisors, and plant leadership
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with daily operational execution

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Required to maneuver plant and warehouse workspaces which involve:

• Frequently standing, walking, sitting, talking, or hearing, work around loud machinery and moving parts
• Continually utilize hand and finger dexterity, continually exposed to extreme heat, extreme cold, wet and/or humid conditions (non-weather)
• Occasionally required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, exposed to outside weather conditions, and push, pull, and lift up to 50 pounds safely

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.