Regional Director of Quality Assurance

As the Regional Director of Food Safety & Quality Assurance, you will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality across our operations in the United States and/or Canada. You will lead a team of professionals dedicated to maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies while driving continuous improvement initiatives. This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and locations.

• Ensure individual plant teams are executing expected actions to meet corporate objectives
• Manage assigned plant FSQA managers, and interact with operations, R&D, and other relevant teams to implement the company’s strategic plan that encompasses all aspects of food safety and quality.
• Coach plant FSQA managers to ensure they perform according with strategic and the tactical/milestones necessary to achieve operational goals.
• Manage key customer QA relationships in conjunction with sales personnel.
• Support and coach Plant FSQA Managers for administering the department’s budget to ensure proper allocation of resources
• Assess and manage plant resources to ensure the FSQA KPI goals are achieved for the manufacturing plants under its purview.
• Ensure the food safety and quality of product and services by assessing compliance with product testing, performing internal assessments and audits of the FSQA system and product lines, placing defective products on hold and taking corrective action
• Ensure that all regulatory requirements are met including weights/measures, food safety, product claims, declarations, etc.
• Collaborate to standardize when required, QA policies/procedures to improve efficiency and reduce cost.
• Identify and communicate FSQA technologies to improve quality and reduce costs.
• Coach and develop FSQA Managers to perform at a constantly exceptional level of performance, including but not limited to the sanitation program, compliance with the GFSI approved scheme audits; and when required act as the plant’s SQF back-up Practitioner.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Minimum of five (10) years of management experience including Quality Management Systems and/or Manufacturing experience.
• Preferred experience in a bakery/dry mixing (dry blending, frozen dough and baked goods) production environment.

• Proficient use of computer, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note), and other related applications or software.
• Demonstrated leadership experience and a sense of urgency and the drive to make continuous improvements.
• Ability to operate at single and multi-site levels from management to “hands on” to accomplish tasks. Must be a “working manager.”
• Demonstrated ability to make and act on decisions while balancing speed, food safety, quality and risk.
• Strong background in sanitation principles and practices, GFSI approved schemes (SQF, BRC), HACCP, GMPs, Safety and SPC.
• Ability to think clearly and in a decisive manner while remaining calm under pressure situations.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in a matrix environment and build strong relationships by being transparent, reliable, and accountable. Strong interpersonal skills backed‑up by strong technical knowledge are critical to success in this role.
• Must have good writing skills and be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels of the company.

• Manage multiple direct reports including but not limited to:
  Sr. Quality Assurance Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Analyst.
• Work requires supervising and monitoring work performance of direct reports including making final decisions on hiring and disciplinary actions, evaluating program/work objectives and effectiveness, and realigning work and staffing assignments, as needed.
• Develop functional responsibilities of individuals that report to this position and ensure that best‑in‑class output is created.