Quality Assurance Manager

Job Summary

Farmer Focus’s Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager (FSQA) leads all plant food safety functions, ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies and contributing to the company’s food safety goals. The role demands oversight of production processes, audits, continuous improvement initiatives, and cross‑functional collaboration to maintain high standards for safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.

• Ensure that all products meet or exceed all customer, regulatory, and company requirements related to food safety.
• Act as liaison between USDA and company internal departments such as Sales and Operations.
• Manage financial budgets, FSQA personnel, audits, and follow‑up on deficiencies.
• Represent the organization at meetings and perform other assigned duties.
• Manage day‑to‑day FSQA functions for the facility, including 1st and 2nd processing.
• Implement robust quality‑control processes, conduct inspections, and drive continuous‑improvement initiatives.
• Lead and mentor a team of FSQA professionals, providing guidance, training, and coaching.
• Oversee staffing, overtime, and budget allocation.
• Conduct regular inspections and audits of production processes, raw materials, and finished products to identify and address quality issues.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (Operations, R&D, Supply Chain) to resolve quality‑related concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Engage proactively with customer and consumer feedback, perform root‑cause analysis, and implement preventive measures.
• Oversee data handling, analysis, and comprehensive reporting.
• Contribute to the development and execution of product food‑safety and quality programs to support operational excellence and market leadership.
• Develop and maintain the Food Safety Plan, ensuring HACCP, GMPs, sanitation, supply‑chain, and other prerequisite standards are met per USDA, FSIS, FSMA, and corporate requirements.
• Manage the Allergen Preventive Controls Program, ensuring accurate allergen labeling and prevention of cross‑contact.
• Meet with vendors, customers, quality representatives, and company personnel to discuss and resolve quality problems.
• Revise and update the quality‑control manual to incorporate statistical control programs.

• B.S. or B.A. degree (or equivalent) in Food Science, Meat Science, Poultry Science, or related field.
• Over 4 years of relevant experience in a comparable position.
• HACCP certification preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities to identify and resolve quality issues.
• Cross‑functional team leadership skills, including coaching and mentoring.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Ulti Pro, and Workday.
• Work environment:
  Must be able to work in the office, outside grounds, and the plant production floor.
• Ability to travel to multiple plant locations up to 15–20% of the time.
• Possibility of exposure to varying plant conditions such as cold and warm areas, chemicals, and other site conditions.

Farmer Focus is committed to the principles of equal employment and to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, including anti‑discrimination statutes related to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, military status, and other protected classes. The company dedicates itself to maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.