Quality Control Manager

Our client, a growing and fun food manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Quality Control Manager to lead food safety, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness initiatives within a high-volume production environment.

The successful individual will be responsible for maintaining the highest standards of product quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. The Quality Control Manager will oversee quality systems, HACCP programs, GMP compliance, sanitation verification, supplier quality management, and inspection preparedness while driving continuous improvement across manufacturing operations.

The successful candidate will serve as the primary quality and food safety leader within the facility and help ensure ongoing compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

• Lead and manage food safety and quality assurance programs.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.
• Maintain adherence to applicable food safety regulations, preventive controls, GMP standards, labeling requirements, and allergen management programs.
• Serve as the primary contact during regulatory inspections, third-party audits, and customer assessments.
• Maintain inspection readiness and ensure required documentation remains current and accurate.

• Develop, implement, and maintain HACCP and food safety plans.
• Monitor critical control points and preventive controls.
• Conduct risk assessments and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Support validation, verification, and continuous improvement of food safety systems.
• Maintain accurate food safety records and documentation.

• Establish and maintain quality standards and product specifications.
• Monitor production processes to ensure consistency, product integrity, packaging quality, and compliance with established standards.
• Lead investigations related to quality concerns and product deviations.
• Manage corrective and preventive action (CAPA) programs.
• Analyze quality trends and identify opportunities for process improvement.

• Conduct routine quality inspections throughout manufacturing operations.
• Verify compliance with sanitation procedures, GMP requirements, employee hygiene standards, allergen controls, and documentation practices.
• Collaborate with production leadership to address quality concerns and implement solutions.
• Ensure quality checkpoints are completed and properly documented.

• Oversee environmental monitoring and microbiological testing programs.
• Verify sanitation effectiveness through testing and inspection activities.
• Analyze sanitation performance data and identify improvement opportunities.
• Investigate environmental or microbiological findings and implement corrective actions.

• Manage supplier qualification and approval programs.
• Review supplier documentation, certifications, and quality records.
• Conduct supplier evaluations and risk assessments.
• Investigate ingredient, packaging, or raw material quality issues.
• Support supplier audits and vendor performance initiatives.

• Maintain quality system documentation, SOPs, training records, audit reports, and corrective action documentation.
• Ensure compliance with document control procedures.
• Conduct internal audits and support external audits and inspections.
• Develop and track action plans resulting from audit findings.

• Provide employee training related to food safety, quality systems, GMPs, allergen control, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
• Foster a culture of quality and food safety throughout the organization.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations.

• Lead investigations into customer complaints and quality concerns.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Monitor complaint trends and recommend process improvements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance product quality and customer satisfaction.

Develop and monitor key quality performance indicators, including:

• Customer complaints
• Product quality trends
• Audit performance
• GMP compliance
• Environmental monitoring results
• Corrective action completion rates
• Training compliance
• Food safety metrics

Prepare and present quality performance reports to senior leadership.

• Lead, coach, and develop quality team members.
• Partner with Operations, Production, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Research & Development, and Human Resources.
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• 5+ years of Quality Assurance, Quality Control, or Food Safety leadership experience within a food…