Sr. Quality Compliance Manager

About the Role

The Senior Quality Compliance Manager is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving and sustaining compliance across multiple USDA- and FDA-regulated facilities. This position ensures designated sites consistently meet regulatory, customer, and corporate requirements through oversight of audit readiness, validation programs, compliance responses, and continuous improvement efforts. The role supports and collaborates with local QAMs, provides training, and acts as a key resource during high-profile visits or regulatory inspections.

Responsibilities

• Ensure defined sites are audit-ready at all times, supporting QAMs in managing internal, customer, third-party, and regulatory inspections (USDA-FSIS, FDA).
• Act as site liaison during regulatory or high-level customer visits in the absence of the QAM, supporting Regional QAMs or Directors as needed.
• Ensure timely and complete execution of validation programs, including allergen validations, oven validations, SOP/SSOP validations, and annual Food Safety Plan reviews.
• Ensure site management is following internal audit program, monitor and track performance, escalate violations or when program is not in compliance.
• Monitor allergen controls to ensure sites maintain a state of allergen readiness, with validated procedures, updated records, and compliant practices.
• Support the development, review, and update of SOPs, SSOPs, HACCP, and Food Safety Plans in coordination with site as part of annual validation and improvement cycles.
• Lead or support site audits, non-conformance investigations, and drive CAPA completion and effectiveness verification.
• Ensure all compliance responses (internal, customer, or regulatory) are completed on time, and assist with drafting, reviewing, and submitting responses to ensure accuracy and alignment.
• SQF Program management, including executing gap assessments, tracking and trending compliance.
• Track training compliance and escalate gaps on critical job-specific compliance gaps, such as CCP certifications training needs.
• Issue and communicate updates related to policies, procedures, and regulatory changes, ensuring sites implement them effectively through training and documentation.
• Partner with Procurement and Corporate QA on supplier compliance, ingredient risk evaluations, and resolution of supplier non-conformances.
• Foster and support Food Safety Culture, providing ongoing compliance training and coaching to QA teams and broader plant personnel.
• Manage Environmental program non-conformances tracking and customer complaint management across multiple sites.
• Execute and manage meetings to show progress.
• Lead site management base trainings, such as CAPA training for managers.
• Other duties as assigned by RQAM, FSQA Director, or QA VP.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business/science-related field is preferred but will consider years of experience; post-graduate degree a plus.
• Five (5) – Seven (7) years of related work experience, including experience managing and leading a Quality and food safety/sanitation staff in a related food manufacturing environment (e.g., baked bar, granola manufacture, bread, cold form bar, cookies, crackers, RTE).
• Dual site FDA and USDA experience preferred.
• HACCP Certified (USDA-compliant) (required unless has PCQI Certificate).
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) (required unless has HACCP Certificate).
• SQF Practitioner or BRC Internal Auditor (preferred).
• American Society for Quality Certification, such as CQE, CQM status is a plus.

Skills

• Knowledge of Makers Pride procurement, products, and production processes.
• Experience with SAP, Master Data, Trace Gain, Alchemy is a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required.
• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced quality statistics, measurement systems analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Strong understanding of SQF/BRC and its implementation.
• Experience with Quality systems and knowledge of pre-requisite programs.
• Knowledge of Customer Expectation management, including audit preparation and program management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, analytical ability, leadership strength, and ability to effectively work with all levels of the organization.
• Strong self-starter who can work with minimal direction.
• Must be detailed-oriented, have strong self-confidence and leadership skills, and excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Must be able to uphold Makers Pride’s mission, vision, and values on a daily basis.

Work Environment

Work is primarily done in an office setting. Infrequent production environment exposure, which includes noise, dust, moving machinery, forklifts, and fluctuations in temperature. Travel up to 30%.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting at a workstation for extended periods of time.
• Stand, walk, and climb stairs on an infrequent basis.
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds on an infrequent basis.