VP, Food Safety & Quality Assurance

About Chairmans Foods: Headquartered in Nashville TN, Chairmans Foods is a rapidly growing middle market company that competes in the refrigerated retail ready-to eat branded and bulk-prepared food solution segments. Chairmans operates out of three company owned facilities in Nashville TN, Atlanta GA and Columbus GA and has a talented team of over 400 employees. We go to market with leading ready-to-eat brands in growth categories and our well-known Prepared Foods business provides custom solutions to our national and regional customers by developing original delicious recipes, matching taste profiles, refining formulations, and delighting their end-consumers with customized product recipes made in our state-of-the-art SQF and BRC facilities. We service customers nationally, and in total, our products reach more than 25,000 stores nationwide every week! You can find out more about why Chairmans Foods is an exciting place, committed to winning for our customers and consumers every day at: www.chairmansfoods.com

Job Summary:

The VP of Food Safety & Quality Assurance will define, develop, and promote the culture of a quality-driven mindset across the organization. The VP of FSQA is responsible for establishing strategic direction, compliance, and food safety culture across the organization. Works cross-functionally across the organization providing FSQA oversight for multiple plants, departments, and teams to implement strategic and tactical directions/plans in order to consistently provide the highest level of Food Safety and Quality to our customers and consumers. This position is responsible for designing, implementing, and measuring a proactive, comprehensive strategic food safety and quality assurance program that reaches all aspects of food handling.

General Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership in designing, developing and implementing company-wide FSQA strategies and initiatives that align with company core values
• Member of the Senior Leadership Team and champion of food safety and consistent product quality
• Ensure regulatory compliance with FDA, USDA, FSMA, HACCP, and GMP standards
• Cross-functional collaboration, partnering with Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, Sales, and Customer Experience to bridge priorities and ensure proactive compliance and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure FSQA programs are embedded throughout the organization
• Lead integration of current quality and food safety processes into one consolidated process

[HACCP system, regulatory audits, quality systems review process, standard operation procedures, incoming ingredient inspections, product scoring, food safety audits, field complaints, standardized work instructions, and sanitation programs]

• Manage consumer and customer complaints process and drive improvements across all products & facilities
• Customer-facing for all Quality-related discussions
• Manage customer complaints portal and ensure plant corrective actions (CAPAs) are robust and timely
• Design, select and implement company-wide quality systems and develop KPIs for all products, processes and facilities
• Conduct foreign material risk assessments and action plan
• Create and manage deviation policy to include reviews and response (Metal, Temp. Abuse, etc.)
• Lead quality supplier management program
• Capital Project Design Review (Sanitary Design, Construction)
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned.

Job Requirements:

• Ability to translate complex technical risks into executive-level decisions.
• Operational knowledge of sanitation design and process improvement.
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Safety, Microbiology, Chemistry, Food Science, or other science-related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred in Food Safety, Microbiology, Chemistry, Food Science, or other science-related fields.
• 15 years of progressive food safety experience, with at least 5 years in management capacity, within a manufacturing environment under HACCP, USDA and/or FDA.
• Comprehensive experience with FDA and USDA regulations.
• Previous experience with Safety Quality Foods (SQF). SQF Expert Practitioner certification is preferred.
• HACCP certification from a nationally recognized and accredited training firm is required.
• 15 years facilitating food safety/quality-related training events.
• Change agent with ability to adapt and lead through changing organizational and operational need.
• Strong team player and leader with the ability to work across multiple functions and disciplines.
• Travel 50-70% between sites.
• Must be willing to relocate to Nashville, TN
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and computer-based applications.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Skill in organization and prioritization, with attention to detail.