Director of Food Quality

About the role

The Director of Quality is responsible for leading all Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Regulatory Compliance, and Continuous Improvement programs within a dairy manufacturing facility. This strategic leader ensures the production of safe, high-quality dairy products while maintaining compliance with FDA, USDA, PMO, SQF, HACCP, GMP, and customer-specific requirements. The role serves as the facility’s quality champion and partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Corporate Leadership to drive a culture of food safety, quality excellence, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Regulatory Compliance, and Continuous Improvement programs.
• Ensure production of safe, high-quality dairy products compliant with FDA, USDA, PMO, SQF, HACCP, GMP, and customer-specific requirements.
• Serve as the facility’s quality champion and partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Corporate Leadership.
• Drive a culture of food safety, quality excellence, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive quality leadership experience within dairy manufacturing.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing Quality and Food Safety teams.
• Prior dairy manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with fluid milk, cultured products, cheese, butter, powders, ESL, or aseptic dairy processing strongly preferred.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of HACCP, SQF, GMPs, FDA regulations, USDA requirements, PMO standards, environmental monitoring programs, and food safety risk assessments.
• Experience leading customer, FDA, USDA, and third-party audits.
• Proficiency with quality management systems, statistical process control, and laboratory operations.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Annual performance bonus
• 401k with company match
• Generous PTO & sick leave

Pay

$160,000 – $216,000 per year