Director of Quality Assurance & Packaging

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods (COSFF) is a leading importer and marketer of frozen and refrigerated seafood in North America. Founded in 2006 to build on the heritage of the iconic Chicken of the Sea brand, COSFF has grown into one of the top U.S. shrimp importers with a strong presence in crab meat, tuna, and value-added seafood products across all trade channels.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Thai Union – one of the world’s largest seafood companies and a global sustainability leader ranked #1 in the Food Products Industry on the 2024 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) – COSFF is guided by Thai Union’s SeaChange® strategy and its vision of “Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans.”

Headquartered in El Segundo, CA, COSFF blends a dynamic, entrepreneurial culture with a deep commitment to sustainability and innovation. Our six core values of Collaboration, Responsibility, Innovation, Respect, Humility, and Passion define who we are and how we lead the industry forward.

Position Overview

The Director of Quality Assurance & Packaging is a strategic leadership role responsible for the development, execution, and continuous improvement of quality systems and packaging initiatives for Thai Union’s global frozen and perishable seafood business. With responsibility for a cross-functional team of over 10 across five countries, this role ensures product safety, strict regulatory compliance, and packaging consistency across a highly complex supply chain involving international manufacturers, suppliers, co-packers, and customers. The Director serves as the central authority on quality and packaging, driving operational excellence, supporting business growth, mitigating risk, and maintaining absolute customer and regulatory confidence. Salary for this role is targeted between $140,000-$160,000 DOE

Core Responsibilities

1. Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance

• Lead and manage a global QA team of ~10 across India, Thailand, Indonesia, the USA, and Canada, establishing a unified standard of excellence.
• Oversee and continuously improve the corporate QA system to ensure strict compliance with FDA, BRC, SQF, CFIA, and international regulatory frameworks (GFSI recognized schemes).
• Manage comprehensive QA programs and documentation for all imported and distributed products, specifically focusing on the cold chain integrity of frozen and perishable seafood.
• Develop, enforce, and modernize food safety programs, including HACCP, allergen management, and rigorous recall readiness.
• Ensure strict compliance with FSMA regulations, specifically managing FSVP requirements and preparing for FSMA 204 (Food Traceability) compliance.
• Oversee packers and supplier quality performance, executing global inspection and audit programs, managing corrective actions (CAPA), and maintaining annual vendor scorecards.
• Respond to customer quality concerns and complaints, leading root-cause investigations to resolve issues rapidly and prevent recurrence.
• Provide mandatory QA input during new vendor onboarding, sourcing initiatives, and product

development lifecycles.

2. Packaging Strategy & Management

• Lead the comprehensive packaging strategy, execution, and compliance for both branded and private-label products.
• Oversee the design, specification, and approval workflows for all packaging materials, ensuring structural integrity and compliance.
• Coordinate vendor sourcing, packaging transitions, inventory planning, and seamless packaging management to prevent supply disruptions.
• Maintain a strictly version-controlled packaging library using SAP, SharePoint, and Box to ensure regulatory and brand accuracy.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Marketing, Commercial and Operations to navigate packaging deliverables, aggressive launch timelines, and artwork approvals.
• Negotiate with packaging vendors and agencies to control material costs, manage lead times, and drive value engineering.
• Champion sustainability initiatives, ensuring compliance with emerging laws and driving corporate waste/plastic reduction goals per the company’s sustainability goals.

3. Operational Performance & KPI Management

• Develop and maintain executive-level scorecards covering:
• Audit pass rates (regulatory, internal, customer, and GFSI).
• Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), including reduction in product complaints, recalls, and packaging defects.
• Timeliness, accuracy, and cost-efficiency of packaging rollouts.
• Compliance with FSVP and vendor documentation requirements.
• Track and report on macro QA and packaging trends, implementing preventive strategies and presenting continuous improvement proposals to Executive Leadership.

4. Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Foster a high-performance culture of accountability, collaboration, and speed across global time zones.
• Serve as the primary Subject Matter Expert (SME) and company representative during critical audits, regulatory inspections, and strategic customer reviews.
• Partner closely with Procurement, Operations, and Sustainability to drive technical readiness for product launches and cross-functional cost-reduction projects.
• Conduct performance management, continuous training, and succession planning for global QA and packaging staff.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Packaging Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in QA and packaging within the food industry; deep experience in seafood or cold chain logistics is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing global teams, international co-packers, and overseas vendor relationships.
• Expert knowledge of FDA, BRC, CFIA, FSVP, BAP, ASC and global labeling preferred.
• Strong familiarity with GFSI standards.
• Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP preferred), Ariba, and enterprise document management systems.
• Strong financial acumen to assess the cost-benefit of packaging materials and QA interventions.
• Ability to travel internationally and domestically periodically.

Key Competencies

• Decisive Leadership: Builds high-performing global teams, leads by example, and manages crisis/recall scenarios calmly and effectively.
• Technical Mastery: Deep, pragmatic understanding of QA protocols, food safety regulations, and packaging engineering.
• Results-Driven: Delivers measurable outcomes, cost savings, and risk reduction through proactive, hands-on leadership.
• Customer Focus: Prioritizes end-customer safety, satisfaction, and brand alignment without compromising regulatory standards.
• Integrity & Collaboration: Promotes trust, strict compliance, and cross-functional teamwork without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

DISCOVER WHAT’S POSSIBLE AT CHICKEN OF THE SEA FROZEN FOODS

1. Drive What’s Next – Quality and innovation are at the heart of everything we do. We’re redefining what’s possible in seafood—developing sustainable solutions, introducing new value-added products, and continuously improving how we source, process, and deliver to advance our mission of “Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans.”
2. Grow With Us – Your growth fuels our success. We offer the tools, learning programs, tuition assistance, and mobility opportunities to help you reach your potential. You’ll gain hands-on experience working with many of the industry’s most recognized customers and operators—an invaluable opportunity to learn, collaborate, and grow alongside the best in the business.
3. Make Waves Together – Experience the impact and agility of a smaller company backed by the reach and resources of a global organization. At COSFF, your work makes a visible difference while connecting you to opportunities across Thai Union worldwide. To recognize the differences being made and to pay it forward, we foster a culture of appreciation – celebrating our Crew’s achievements and giving back through community volunteer programs that support our sustainability goals.
4. Thrive With Us – We offer comprehensive benefits and perks designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and continued growth.
5. Health & wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options; employee assistance program
6. Financial future: 401(k) with company match, HSA option with employer contributions, company-paid life insurance
7. Work / life balance: Generous paid time off, paid parental leave, family-friendly benefits, hybrid / remote roles, flexible hours
8. Learning & growth: Training and tuition assistance program
9. Perks: Internet, phone, and wellbeing stipends

READY TO JOIN OUR CREW?

To be the world’s most trusted seafood leader, we rely on people who live our values every day – Passionate, Humble, Respectful, Responsible, Collaborative, and Innovative. If this sounds like you, and you’re ready to make a meaningful impact in the seafood industry, we’d love to hear from you!