Quality Assurance Manager
Job Description
- The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for ensuring that all food products meet company, customer, and regulatory standards. This role involves overseeing food safety and quality policies, managing third-party audits, and implementing corrective actions for any quality-related issues. The position requires a proactive approach to maintaining and improving quality assurance procedures while collaborating with production teams to resolve challenges effectively.
- Identify and escalate critical food safety and quality concerns to senior management as necessary.
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve food safety and quality system policies and procedures.
- Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive quality initiatives.
- Lead and oversee quality assurance personnel, including scheduling and workforce planning for a 24/7 operation.
- Manage hiring, training, and performance evaluation of the quality team.
- Act as the HACCP team leader, ensuring plans are updated, revised, and aligned with industry advancements.
- Guide the disposition of non-conforming products to ensure safe and high-quality outcomes.
- Investigate customer complaints, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions for any deviations from specifications.
- Lead regulatory, GFSI, and customer audits, ensuring compliance with all quality and food safety standards.
- Serve as the primary liaison for customer inquiries, complaints, audits, and documentation requests.
- Manage departmental budgets and ensure financial goals are met.
- Provide quality-related support for production operations, addressing inquiries and resolving issues as needed.
- Coordinate services such as laboratory testing and pest control to maintain facility standards.
- Organize and execute mock recalls to assess and enhance traceability procedures.
- Step in to cover QA staff and assist with departmental functions when necessary.
- Conduct training sessions on food safety topics, including allergen control, GMPs, and metal detection.
- Collaborate with engineering teams to assess and review equipment, policies, and contractor activities.
- Oversee the implementation, maintenance, and improvement of the Gluten Program.
- Serve as an alternate contact for all matters related to GFCO certification.
- Conduct daily facility walkthroughs to ensure compliance with food safety and quality programs.
- Perform additional duties as assigned by the Director of Quality.
Qualifications:
- Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in quality assurance within the food manufacturing industry, with prior management or supervisory experience.
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biological Sciences, Nutrition, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
- Certified SQF Practitioner.
- Strong understanding of regulatory requirements (FDA, GFSI, FSMA).
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
- Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to manage and develop teams.
- Experience in co-manufacturing environments preferred.
- Excellent interpersonal and teamwork abilities to work across all levels of the organization.
- In-depth knowledge of food safety and personal safety protocols.
- Effective time management and communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities related to food safety and quality issues.
- Ability to convey complex regulatory requirements in a clear and concise manner to senior leadership.
- Strategic thinker with a proactive approach to quality management.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced packaging and production environment.
- Flexible and adaptable to evolving business needs and priorities.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
Meet Your Recruiter
Alicia Alexander
Technical Recruiter & Team Mentor
Alicia Alexander is a Technical Recruiter and Team Mentor at Sterling Engineering with four years of recruiting experience and nearly three years with Sterling. She specializes in engineering, manufacturing, and technical recruiting, supporting roles across maintenance, reliability, operations, engineering, and industrial environments, including food and life sciences.
Alicia is passionate about helping people find careers where they feel genuinely happy, supported, and positioned for long-term growth. She enjoys building meaningful relationships with candidates, helping them take the next step in their careers, and supporting companies as they build strong, high-performing teams.
With a background in psychology and human resources from North Central College, Alicia brings a people-focused approach to recruiting. Her understanding of relationship building, communication, and candidate motivation helps her create successful matches between talent and opportunity.
Alicia is known for developing strong partnerships with both candidates and hiring managers, with a focus on creating long-term placements that benefit both the individual and the organization.