Quality Manager

Quality Assurance Manager / SQF Practitioner

Salary: $75,000–$90,000
Industry: Food Manufacturing
Department: Quality Assurance / Food Safety
Reports To: VP of Quality & R&D

Position Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager / SQF Practitioner to lead food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

This individual will serve as the site's designated SQF Practitioner and Food Safety Team Leader , with responsibility for maintaining the Quality and Food Safety Management System, HACCP programs, SQF certification, audit readiness, corrective actions, documentation, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience in food manufacturing, SQF, HACCP, GMPs, audits, and quality systems and is comfortable working cross-functionally with Production, Operations, R&D, Purchasing, Maintenance, Sanitation, and Warehouse teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the site's designated SQF Practitioner and maintain the SQF Food Safety Management System.

• Lead the site's Food Safety Team and HACCP program.

• Develop, maintain, verify, and continuously improve HACCP and Food Safety Plans.

• Ensure compliance with SQF, HACCP, GMP, regulatory, customer, and internal quality requirements.

• Lead preparation for SQF certification and recertification audits .

• Coordinate regulatory inspections, customer audits, third-party audits, and internal audits.

• Maintain site audit readiness and ensure required documentation and records are accurate and current.

• Manage corrective and preventive actions, including root cause analysis and verification of effectiveness.

• Oversee GMP, sanitation, allergen control, pest control, supplier approval, traceability, recall, environmental monitoring, chemical control, and foreign-material programs.

• Coordinate mock recalls and maintain effective traceability systems.

• Investigate food safety incidents, customer complaints, product failures, labeling issues, allergen concerns, and quality non-conformances.

• Oversee supplier approval and supplier quality monitoring programs.

• Review laboratory, environmental, microbiological, chemical, and other required testing results.

• Maintain controlled procedures, specifications, forms, records, and quality documentation.

• Coordinate employee training related to GMP, HACCP, SQF, food safety, sanitation, and quality procedures .

• Support new product development, process changes, validation activities, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Promote a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the facility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, Food Safety , or a related field preferred.

• 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing, quality assurance, food safety, HACCP, SQF, or a related technical role preferred.

• Previous experience as an SQF Practitioner or equivalent food safety system leader strongly preferred .

• Formal HACCP training required .

• Experience developing and maintaining HACCP plans.

• Strong working knowledge of the SQF Food Safety Code for Manufacturing .

• Experience preparing for and participating in SQF, regulatory, customer, and third-party audits.

• Strong knowledge of GMPs, sanitation, allergen controls, traceability, recall procedures, and preventive controls.

• Strong root cause analysis and corrective action experience.

• Excellent documentation, organizational, leadership, and communication skills.

• Ability to work cross-functionally and hold teams accountable to food safety and quality standards.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $75,000–$90,000

• Health insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• Paid time off

Why This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of the food safety and quality systems for a growing food manufacturer. The Quality Assurance Manager will have direct influence over SQF certification, audit readiness, operational quality, food safety culture, and continuous improvement throughout the facility.