Director of Quality Assurance & Food Safety

Job Title: Director of Quality Assurance & Food Safety Location: Phoenix, AZ Employment Type: Full Time Reports To: SVP of Operations (Dotted Line to GM Main Event) Travel: 50% Work Schedule: Mon-Fri (8AM-5PM) Compensation & Benefits Pay Range: 120,600-160,800k per year Incentive Pay: Quarterly performance bonus Benefits Summary: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) profit sharing, Vacation, Holidays, Floating Holidays, Company-paid LTD and life insurance, and Sick leave POSITION SUMMARY The Director, Quality Assurance & Food Safety builds and owns the quality and food safety program for Main Event, FoodStory Brands’ new protein bar brand, and serves as the final quality authority on product release, co-manufacturer qualification, and label and claims approval. This position designs and implements the quality management system; qualifies, audits, and oversees co-manufacturers and suppliers; sets testing, specification, and shelf-life strategy; governs claims and labeling; and leads recall readiness, traceability, and consumer complaint programs. The Director sets the quality strategy, budget, and KPIs; represents quality to executives, regulators, retailers, and our licensing partner; and partners closely with R&D, Marketing, Operations, and Sales to keep the brand moving fast without ever outrunning the data. This is a hands-on individual contributor role: the Director owns the quality function end to end, using contract laboratories, auditors, and consultants rather than an internal team. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The following duties are essential to successful performance in this position. Other duties may be assigned. Quality Strategy and Leadership Set the multi-year quality and food safety strategy for Main Event, aligned to the brand’s growth, launch, and co-manufacturing plans Build and manage the quality budget, including laboratory testing, third-party audits, certifications, and quality systems Define quality KPIs (e.g., complaints per million units, hold-and-release cycle time, co-manufacturer scorecard results, audit findings, and first-pass label approvals), and report performance, risks, and resource needs to the executive team monthly Maintain a quality and food safety risk register, and allocate resources based on risk Decide which quality work to handle directly and which to outsource to laboratories, auditors, and consultants, and build the documentation and systems that let a one-person function scale Own quality gates in the product development and launch process; no SKU launches or ships without QA sign-off Serve as the company’s quality representative to regulators (including FDA inspections and inquiries), retailers, co-manufacturers, and the licensing partner Lead crisis response for food safety incidents, recalls, and regulatory actions, including executive briefings and coordination with Legal, insurance, and communications Select and manage contract laboratories, auditors, and consultants, including scope, cost, and service levels Build a food safety culture across FoodStory Brands and its co-manufacturers, and keep leadership informed of regulatory changes that affect the brand Quality Management System Design and implement the quality management system (QMS), including document control, retention, training, and audit-readiness standards Author and approve the SOP library, covering sampling plans, hold/release, deviations and CAPA, label approval, claims review, complaint handling, change control, and recall Hold final authority on product hold, release, and disposition, and build quality requirements into launch plans early so they protect timelines rather than delay them Set co-manufacturer quality and food safety requirements, including specifications, in-process checks, release criteria, and documentation Co-Manufacturer and Supplier Quality Own co-manufacturer and supplier qualification end to end: set risk-based criteria, build scorecards, risk-rank candidate facilities, and approve or disqualify them Use current GFSI certifications (SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000) and audit reports as the baseline for qualification and ongoing verification Lead on-site audits of all critical co-manufacturers at least annually Review and challenge co-manufacturer HACCP and food safety plans, and require corrective action where needed Own the supplier and ingredient program, including raw material specifications, supplier documentation, and FSMA supply-chain program and Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) compliance Testing, Specifications, and Shelf Life Set the testing strategy: what is tested, how often, by which labs, and against what acceptance criteria, including pathogen controls for low-moisture products Review Certificates of Analysis (CoAs) and lab results, and disposition product accordingly Design and interpret real-time and accelerated shelf-life and stability studies Own nutrient analysis and Nutrition Facts Panel validation, including protein quality (PDCAAS) for %DV declarations Claims, Labeling, and Certifications Own the claims substantiation framework and approve all packaging, website, and social media claims before release Ensure label compliance with FDA labeling regulations (21 CFR 101), including nutrient content claims and allergen labeling Own the allergen control program across all co-manufacturers and suppliers, including standards for letters of guarantee and cross-contact risk review Manage the California Prop 65 risk program, including warning-label determinations Manage third-party certifications that support product claims (e.g., gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO), including renewals and certification audits Recall Readiness, Traceability, and Complaints Own the recall and market withdrawal plan, including roles, decision criteria, regulatory and customer notification, and communication templates Establish lot traceability from ingredient receipt through production to customer shipment, and run mock recalls at least annually Lead the consumer complaint program, including intake, investigation, root cause, response, and trending by lot, co-manufacturer, and issue type Change Control, Retailer Compliance, and Partnership Own change control for formulas, specifications, suppliers, co-manufacturers, and packaging Own retailer and customer quality requirements, including specification sheets, supplier portal documentation, certificates, and customer audits Partner with R&D on formula development and optimization, and advise Marketing on claims and copy before launch Maintain confidentiality and use discretion when working with proprietary formulas, licensing partner information, and other sensitive information Attends all required staff trainings and meetings, and completes all assigned training on time Adheres to and promotes the FoodStory Brands Mission, Vision, and Values while acting as a role model for others Other duties as assigned SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This position has no direct reports. The Director manages the work of contract laboratories, third-party auditors, and consultants. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Nutrition, Chemistry, or a related field 10+ years of QA/food safety experience in food manufacturing, including 3–5 years leading QA programs Co-manufactured CPG experience required; bars, nutrition, or low-moisture products strongly preferred Demonstrated experience managing a quality budget and leading QA programs Experience representing quality with regulators, retailers, and executive leadership, including FDA inspections and customer audits Track record of building a QMS, SOPs, and documentation systems from the ground up Experience auditing co-manufacturers against GFSI schemes (SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000) Experience leading recall planning, mock recalls, lot traceability, and consumer complaint programs PCQI certification required, or obtained within 90 days of hire Experience with retailer quality requirements and supplier portals preferred Proficient in Microsoft Office; experience with specification or label management systems preferred KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties. Deep working knowledge of HACCP, FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food, and FSVP Expert knowledge of FDA labeling regulations (21 CFR 101), Nutrition Facts Panel development, nutrient content claims, and allergen requirements Working knowledge of California Prop 65 requirements and warning-label determinations Ability to design and interpret shelf-life and stability studies and to set statistically sound sampling plans Strategic thinking, with the ability to build a multi-year quality roadmap and make risk-based tradeoffs on resources and timelines Sound judgment to make release and claims decisions under commercial pressure, and the influence to make them stick Ability to build credible, accountable relationships with co-manufacturers, suppliers, and laboratories Ability to work with R&D, Marketing, Operations, Sales, and Leadership teams Executive-level written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain technical and regulatory concepts clearly Calm, decisive leadership during food safety incidents, recalls, and customer escalations Process-driven temperament with discipline in detail, accuracy, and documentation Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality Demonstrated commitment to FoodStory Brands’ entrepreneurial culture — thinking dynamically, acting with transparency, and committing to shared success and mutual growth Hiring Process Our process may include application review, interviews, assessments, reference checks, and a conditional offer. Equal Opportunity Employer Statement The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected status. Accommodation Statement Applicants needing accommodation during the hiring process may contact human resources @ . Work Authorization Employment is contingent upon the ability to work lawfully in the United States and completion of employment eligibility verification after hire. Background Check / Drug Testing Employment offers may be contingent upon job-related screening, where permitted by law. At Will Employment Employment with FoodStory Brands is at-will, meaning either the employee or the company may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, unless otherwise required by applicable law. This job postings not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the role. The company reserves the right to modify this description at any time. FoodStory Brands