Senior Food Safety & Quality Manager

About the Role

The Senior Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) Manager oversees and implements the company's Food Safety Quality Management System (FSQMS) to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, customer requirements, and internal quality objectives. This role requires a deep understanding of food safety principles, SQF standards, and quality management systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide FSQ leadership, hire, train, teach, assess, coach, and mentor FSQ personnel to build a high-performing team.
• Serve as the SQF practitioner with responsibility and authority to use the SQF code.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to execute the company’s FSQ strategy (High Quality Safe Food), aligning with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Develop, implement, enforce, and maintain comprehensive FSQA documentation, including SOPs, HACCP plans, and food safety management systems.
• Ensure timely and effective resolution of customer complaints and feedback, driving improvements to prevent recurrence.
• Conduct audits (internal, external, supplier) and ensure corrective actions are taken for any identified non-conformances.
• Lead root cause analysis and conduct risk assessments to implement preventive controls and mitigate food safety risks.
• Establish and monitor key quality and sanitation metrics (KPIs), driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product quality, operational efficiency, and hygiene standards.
• Promote a culture of food safety on a day-to-day basis.
• Interface with customers and regulatory bodies during audits, inspections, and quality-related inquiries.
• Maintain a Deviation/CAPA Log and engage cross-functional teams to execute actions in a timely manner.
• Develop and maintain process audits to ensure all operational, in-process, and finished-goods quality monitoring are completed and verified.
• Oversee quarantine inventory and execute action plans promptly.
• Work closely with the sanitation team, providing data-driven guidance.
• Oversee overall compliance with SQF, FDA, and company sanitation standards.
• Develop and execute daily, weekly, and/or monthly inspection plans.
• Execute and maintain a robust Environmental Monitoring Program for Listeria.
• Lead and enforce root cause analysis on investigations/vector swabbing when suspect Listeria positives are observed.

Requirements

• Minimum of 10–15 years of experience in food safety and quality assurance, with at least 6–8 years in a management role.
• In-depth knowledge of food safety regulations and quality management systems (e.g., HACCP, FSMA, GFSI (SQF)).
• Certification in food safety (minimum SQF, HACCP, PCQI). SQF Internal Audit training is preferred.
• Experience leading SQF audits when audited by third-party certifying bodies.
• Knowledge of food microbiology for both indicator (Coliform, SPC) and pathogenic bacteria.
• Strong sense of urgency, strategic thinking, and data-driven decision-making when product safety and quality are at risk.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities.
• Clear, confident, and concise communicator.
• Well-organized with the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Promote a positive attitude among QA and other functional areas to achieve the best results.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands, handle or feel objects/tools/controls, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, or crouch, talk, and hear. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Work Environment: The employee is exposed to a general office environment where the noise level is usually moderate. As part of the job requirements, the employee may be exposed to cold temperatures (-20 degrees) at times.