Quality Assurance Manager

Our client is a well-established manufacturer in the beauty and personal care space, producing cosmetics and/or personal care products for a portfolio of consumer brands and private-label partners. Headquartered in Carson, CA, the company operates a licensed manufacturing facility and is known for its strong quality culture, regulatory rigor, and ability to bring new formulations to market quickly. This search is being conducted on a confidential basis on behalf of our client.

The Quality Manager will own day-to-day quality operations across the manufacturing facility, balancing hands-on GMP compliance and production quality oversight with product-level quality assurance — specifications, testing, and vendor/supplier quality. This is a hybrid role suited to someone equally comfortable on the production floor driving batch release and CAPA activity, and at the table with R&D, regulatory, and customers on specifications and product quality.

The Quality Manager will lead a small QA/QC team and report to the Director of Quality or VP of Operations.

• Oversee day-to-day quality operations on the production floor, ensuring compliance with cGMP and ISO 22716 (cosmetics GMP) standards.
• Manage batch record review and product release, ensuring documentation accuracy and audit readiness.
• Lead internal audits and coordinate external/customer and regulatory audits (FDA, state, retailer/customer).
• Own and drive the CAPA (corrective and preventive action) process, root cause investigations, and deviation management.
• Maintain and continuously improve the facility's Quality Management System (QMS) and SOPs.

• Manage product specifications, testing protocols, and stability/quality release criteria in partnership with R&D.
• Oversee raw material and finished goods testing, working closely with the QC lab.
• Evaluate and manage supplier/vendor quality, including qualification, scorecards, and non-conformance follow-up.
• Partner with regulatory affairs to ensure labeling, formulation, and documentation meet FDA and applicable state/international requirements.
• Support new product introductions and formulation changes with quality risk assessments.

• Hire, train, and manage a small QA/QC team, setting priorities and developing team capability.
• Partner with Operations, R&D, Regulatory, and Customer Service to resolve quality issues and reduce risk.
• Report quality metrics (KPIs, complaint trends, audit results) to leadership and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, or a related field.
• 5–8 years of progressive quality experience within cosmetics, personal care, or CPG manufacturing; prior people-management experience required.
• Working knowledge of FDA cosmetic regulations, cGMP, and ISO 22716; ISO 9001 experience a plus.
• Hands-on experience with batch record review, CAPA/root cause investigation, and internal/external audits.
• Experience managing product specifications, supplier quality, and QC lab testing processes.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work cross-functionally and represent quality to customers and auditors.
• ASQ certification (CQM/OE, CQE) preferred but not required.

• Base salary up to $110,000, commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package (medical, dental, vision) — details to be confirmed with client.