Quality Assurance Lead

Overview

Role summary

You will lead the QA function end to end. Your job is to drive product consistency, build daily QA discipline on the floor, and partner with Operations to scale the business. Passing audits matters, but leading people and systems matters more.

This is a hands-on plant role. You will be visible, decisive, and comfortable pushing when quality is at risk.

• Lead the QA team across shifts. Set expectations, priorities, and accountability
• Own product consistency by SKU. Define, measure, and enforce CQAs
• Translate audit standards into daily operating routines
• Build and maintain QA systems that prevent issues, not just document them
• Partner with Ops, Maintenance, and Production to solve root causes
• Make real-time decisions, including stop-the-line when required
• Escalate risks early with clear data and recommendations
• Own corrective actions and verify they actually stick
• Prepare for and lead third-party audits, customer audits, and inspections

• Clear CQAs defined and implemented for priority SKUs
• QA team aligned on how and what they measure, every shift
• Fewer surprises. Issues caught upstream, not at packaging or customer level
• Strong working relationship with Plant Manager and Ops leads
• Audits remain clean, but day-to-day control improves noticeably

• Proven experience leading QA teams in a manufacturing environment
• Strong communicator. Clear, direct, and confident with operators and leadership
• Experience in food manufacturing, extrusion, or high-throughput plants preferred
• Comfortable in the plant. This is not a desk-first role
• Track record of building or improving QA systems
• Willing to make decisions and own outcomes

• SQF, BRC, or equivalent audit experience
• Experience scaling from small to mid-size manufacturing
• Data-driven mindset. Comfortable with trends, limits, and dashboards

• 7 to 12 years in food manufacturing QA
• At least 3 to 5 years leading people in a plant workplace

• A purely audit or documentation role
• A junior QA technician position
• A hands-off corporate QA role

• Job Type: Full-time
• Pay: $48,501.12-$ per year
• Benefits:
• Dental care
• Extended health care
• Paid time off
• Work Location:
  
  In person