QA, Director

Industry: Food Manufacturing & Distribution

Location: Eastern Pennsylvania

Relocation: Case by case basis

Compensation: $125k - $145k base salary

Director, Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Full-Service Meat Processing & Distribution | Multi-Site Leadership | Executive Visibility

A well-established, growth-oriented food processing organization is conducting a confidential search for a Director of Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) to provide enterprise-level leadership across its meat processing and distribution operations.

This is a high-impact, strategic role responsible for shaping food safety culture, regulatory strategy, audit performance, and quality execution across multiple facilities. The Director will serve as the primary authority on USDA compliance, GFSI certification, and customer-facing quality initiatives while building scalable systems to support continued growth.

This opportunity is ideal for a senior food safety leader seeking executive visibility, multi-site influence, and the ability to drive meaningful operational and cultural change.

The Director of FSQA provides both strategic direction and hands-on leadership for all QA/QC and food safety programs. This role ensures that all products processed, stored, and distributed meet the highest standards of regulatory compliance, product integrity, and customer expectations.

The Director acts as the primary liaison with USDA-FSIS, third-party auditors, and key customers while leading continuous improvement initiatives across food safety systems, supplier quality, and crisis management preparedness.

• Serve as the lead contact for USDA-FSIS interactions and regulatory inspections
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, SSOPs, GMPs, and all federal regulatory requirements
• Lead and maintain GFSI certification programs (e.g., SQF, BRC) across facilities
• Drive audit readiness and continuous compliance improvements

• Develop, implement, and continuously enhance food safety programs
• Oversee environmental monitoring programs, pathogen control strategies, allergen management, and shelf‑life validation
• Maintain and test crisis management and product recall programs

• Oversee product quality from raw material receipt through processing, cold storage, and final distribution
• Ensure compliance in specifications including cut integrity, packaging, labeling, and temperature control
• Monitor KPIs and implement corrective actions to strengthen performance

• Lead, mentor, and develop QA managers, supervisors, and technical teams
• Establish clear performance metrics and accountability structures
• Build a proactive, prevention-focused food safety culture across operations

• Investigate non‑conformances, regulatory findings, and customer complaints
• Lead root‑cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) programs
• Strengthen supplier quality partnerships and raw material compliance

• Provide regular reporting to senior leadership on audit performance, regulatory trends, quality metrics, and risk mitigation initiatives

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Microbiology, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in food manufacturing, with at least 5+ years in senior leadership
• Direct experience within meat processing or meat distribution operations
• HACCP Certified (Meat/Poultry)
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual)
• SQF Practitioner or equivalent GFSI certification leadership experience
• Deep knowledge of USDA‑FSIS regulations, GMPs, and sanitation standards
• Proven ability to lead in fast‑paced, multi‑site environments
• Strong executive communication and team‑building skills
• Ability to work in refrigerated production environments

• Master’s degree in Food Science or related discipline
• Experience with ERP systems and electronic/paperless QA platforms

• GFSI audit scores (SQF/BRC)
• Regulatory non‑conformance trends
• Customer complaint reduction metrics
• Environmental pathogen monitoring performance
• CAPA closure effectiveness and timeliness

• Executive‑level visibility and influence
• Direct impact on regulatory strategy and food safety culture
• Multi‑site leadership scope
• Opportunity to modernize and scale food safety systems
• Stable, growth‑oriented full‑service food processing organization

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.