Regional Quality FS Manager

The Regional Quality FS Manager is a hands‑on leader and technically responsible for ensuring food safety and quality standards across multiple manufacturing sites. Responsible for aiding the Maker’s Pride Quality Assurance Department with leading, developing, and executing all aspects of Quality Assurance with customers, suppliers, local and corporate‑wide Maker’s Pride employees within the designated platform. The individual is also responsible for supervising, training and mentoring Quality and Sanitation professionals assigned to them within the assigned platform.

This role supports plant QA teams, drives execution of quality systems, provides audit readiness support, and ensures alignment with regulatory, customer, and internal expectations. This position exists to ensure the food safety and Quality of all products being produced and packaged at the facilities within the designated platform. Reports to Platform Quality & Food Safety Director. May supervise 3-7 Plant Quality Managers depending on platform.

Back up to Regional Director of FSQA. This is a remote role; however, you must reside in the Downers Grove, IL area or near one of our plant locations in Illinois.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Responsible for aiding in the development and execution of all aspects of Quality Assurance with customers, suppliers, local and corporate‑wide Maker’s Pride employees and the manufacturing staff at facilities within the designated platform.
• Participate in and contribute to the Maker’s Pride Production System (HPS) elements (Drumbeat, Weekly KPI, etc.)
• Execute gap assessments against customer/ GFSI / regulatory requirements and generate action plans to assess identified gaps
• Provide support and aid in preparation for all customer visits and external audits.
• Coach, teach, mentor site Quality Managers and Supervisors as assigned
• Provide guidance on investigation and disposition of held products as needed
• Complete FSQA improvement projects as assigned
• Train quality and operations teams as necessary on newly instituted programs
• Aid in identifying critical Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for sites to drive improvements
• Act as liaison between Maker’s Pride and Customer QA representatives when corporate support is required.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis activities and support Corrective Action/ Preventative Action program requirements
• Support auditing of sanitation practices as needed and pre‑operational inspection verification
• Provide audit over-check and assurance that each plant is maintaining policies and directives set forth in local plant SOP’s and work instructions.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams on key platform projects
• Assess Environmental Monitoring Programs to ensure continued seek and destroy approach to pathogens
• Trend and analyze data to drive focus on key areas for improvement
• Other duties as identified or assigned by Platform or Senior Quality Director.

• Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments
• GFSI auditing schemes
• SMART goal setting and team coaching
• Basic RCA and CAPA tools
• 7 Steps of Sanitation
• Knowledge and experience with SAP

• Personnel development and team building
• Internal Auditing
• Risk Assessments
• Strong understanding of SQF and its implementation is required. SQF Practitioner certification is a plus.
• PCQI/ Food Safety Plans / HACCP Plan development and maintenance
• Experience in Quality systems (pre‑requisite program creation implementation)
• Maintaining harmonious relationships and effectively communicating with all customers, suppliers, local and corporate‑wide Maker’s Pride employees.
• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced quality statistics, measurement systems analysis and continuous…