Director of Operational Excellence (Quality & EHS)

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

FirmaPak, Your Packaging FriendTM, is a rapidly growing packaging manufacturer committed to helping our customers succeed with high-quality, reliable, and customizable packaging solutions. At FirmaPak, we are committed to providing a meaningful experience for all our team members. We invest in our people and our company, combining the best of a large organization with extensive resources and a business rooted in family values. Our strong culture fosters an environment that promotes growth - for our people, for our customers, and for our company.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Operational Excellence (Quality & EHS) leads FirmaPak’s quality, EHS, and continuous improvement programs across all manufacturing facilities. Reporting to the COO and directing a team of Quality Managers, this role drives the organization toward a unified standard of SQF and BRCG certification compliance at every site—ensuring quality systems are reliable, audit-ready, and aligned with business objectives while building a culture of safety and accountability. The Director represents FirmaPak during customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Quality Systems & Certification

• Lead enterprise-wide quality systems with a focus on achieving and sustaining SQF/BRCG certification across all sites
• Oversee audits (customer, regulatory, third-party) and ensure consistent, audit-ready performance
• Drive resolution of customer complaints and quality issues, including root cause and corrective actions
• Establish standardized metrics, reporting, and audit programs to ensure compliance and continuous improvement

Safety & Environmental Compliance

• Standardize and lead safety programs across all facilities to ensure regulatory compliance and risk reduction
• Oversee incident investigations and drive improvements in key safety metrics (TRIR, DART, near misses)
• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, permitting, and reporting requirements

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead and develop Quality and EHS teams across multiple sites
• Partner with operations leadership to embed quality and safety into daily performance
• Advise executive leadership on risk, compliance, and operational performance

Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and RCA methodologies
• Build and prioritize a pipeline of improvement projects based on data and business impact

Requirements:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Engineering, Environmental Health & Safety, Occupational Safety, or a related field
• 7–10+ years of progressive quality and/or EHS leadership experience in multi-site manufacturing, including direct responsibility for quality systems and external audits
• Demonstrated experience implementing and advancing ISO, SQF, or BRCG quality management systems, including leading sites from base GMP practices to full certification
• Experience managing root cause corrective action processes for quality and safety incidents, with demonstrated ability to drive systemic corrections to verified closure
• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and experience delivering compliance training programs
• Proven track record of reducing customer complaints, quality escapes, and recordable safety incidents
• Experience in food manufacturing, consumer products, or multi-site manufacturing operations
• People leadership experience with accountability for team performance and development; clear communication skills across operational and executive audiences
• SQF Practitioner or BRCG Site Champion certification
• ISO Lead Auditor certification (9001 or 22000)
• Professional safety certification (CSP, CHMM, or equivalent)
• Experience working cross-functionally with customer-facing teams such as Customer Care or Sales
• Position requires approximately 50% travel to manufacturing facilities and customer / supplier locations