Senior Quality & Food Safety Leader

Firestone Pacific Foods (FPF) grows, freezes and packs frozen fruit products on behalf of food retailers and food service companies in the United States and overseas. Our fruit is harvested at the peak of ripeness, processed and packed in our state‑of‑the‑art facilities shipment with a keen attention to quality and food safety. The Firestone Family began farming in Vancouver, WA, in 1896.

In 2019, an impact investment fund managed by Agriculture Capital acquired FPF to build out a low cost, vertically integrated supply chain of high quality, organic blueberries operating at scale to address growing global demand for this nutritious fruit.

Reporting to the Director of Quality, the Quality Assurance (QA) Manager will develop, maintain and review all food safety, quality, and regulatory systems in the IQF, Repack, and Cold Storage locations. The QA Manager oversees the implementation of the requirements, policies, procedures, programs, and training components of the food defense plan. This position frequently partners with stakeholders from Operations, Safety, Procurement, Transportation, Finance (Compliance), Sales, and HR to provide food safety leadership and subject matter expertise.

The QA Manager is also responsible for supporting, tracking, and communicating the Food Safety Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and working with Company stakeholders to seek continuous improvement in KPIs.

• Execute all food safety‑related strategies, policies, and procedures; maintain open communication with all related departments to address the identification of food safety hazards and process improvement opportunities.
• Stay up‑to‑date on all food safety standards that are customary within the food industry and mandated by government regulations; be familiar with the Hazard Analysis and Risk‑Based Preventive Controls management system required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the standards set by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI) and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements.
• Manage the Food Safety Plan, inclusive of CODEX Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, pre‑requisite programs, preventative controls, food safety policies, FSMA requirements, and specific preventative controls SOPs.
• Direct, mentor, and coach the Food Safety Technician, sanitation personnel, and other team members as needed through technical training.
• Assist with managing the food safety and quality management systems pertaining to SQF certification and act as the backup SQF practitioner.
• Routinely audit food safety practices to objectively evaluate performance and provide feedback to other personnel as necessary to ensure compliance with the FSMA Rule and any regulatory requirements (federal, state, and local).
• Assist in completing the annual food safety management system reassessments; communicate and implement required changes with Firestone Pacific Foods stakeholders and others as necessary.
• Use a document control system to collect, maintain, and update Firestone Pacific Foods standard operating procedures, policies, and templates for all food safety related records used by Firestone Pacific Foods associates.
• Maintain supplier and customer document databases.
• Manage the regulatory approval process for product labels; both domestically and internationally. Deliver and track program training for Key Role associates and supervisors with direct food safety management system responsibilities.
• Provides oversight and training for maintaining facility cleanliness and sanitation standards. Routinely measures operational sanitation program compliance to ensure food is received, stored, handled, and transported in a food‑safe condition to customers and their patrons.
• Maintain effective working relationships with regulatory authorities, industry trade groups, suppliers, internal stakeholders, and customers.
• Implement predefined customer and supplier standards, address customers' needs, and act as liaison between customers and operations to ensure standards and expectations are met.
• Complete Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) activities.
• Occasionally perform on‑site…