Regional Quality Assurance Manager

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, or related discipline.
• 10 years of progressive quality leadership experience within food manufacturing
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams within multi-site manufacturing environments.
• Strong root cause analysis, CAPA.
• SPC and data-driven process improvement methodologies.

The Regional Quality Assurance Manager serves as a strategic quality leader responsible for driving food safety, regulatory compliance, and product quality performance across multiple manufacturing facilities. This role partners closely with operations, R&D, supply chain, and commercial leadership to strengthen quality systems, improve operational performance, reduce risk, and build a culture focused on continuous improvement and accountability.

The position plays a critical role in ensuring products consistently meet customer expectations, regulatory standards, and internal quality requirements while supporting operational excellence initiatives and new product commercialization efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Leadership & Culture

• Lead, develop, and mentor regional quality teams across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Build strong partnerships with operations, engineering, R&D, supply chain, and commercial leadership.
• Drive a proactive food safety and quality culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear goals, standard work, and performance expectations throughout the organization.
• Coach teams on problem-solving methodologies, risk mitigation, and quality ownership.
• Deliver training programs related to food safety, quality systems, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure timely communication and escalation of food safety, quality, operational, and financial risks.

Quality Systems & Compliance

• Ensure effective implementation and sustainability of food safety, quality, and prerequisite programs across all sites.
• Maintain compliance with FDA regulations, HACCP, SQF, GMPs, and customer requirements.
• Lead internal audit programs and ensure corrective actions are implemented effectively and on time.
• Support external audits, customer visits, and regulatory inspections.
• Standardize and strengthen quality systems and best practices across facilities.
• Partner with operations to improve sanitation performance, environmental monitoring, and inspection readiness.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Drive improvements in key quality and operational metrics, including:
• First Pass Quality
• Customer Complaints
• CAPA Effectiveness
• Inventory Health
• Compliance Performance
• Product Disposals
• Customer Responsiveness
• Sanitation & Environmental Performance
• Utilize root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies to eliminate recurring issues.
• Apply Statistical Process Control (SPC) and data analysis to improve process capability and performance.
• Interface with operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives to maximize plant performance.

Commercialization & Risk Management

• Partner with R&D, engineering, and operations teams during new product launches and process commercialization activities.
• Evaluate food safety, regulatory, operational, and cost risks associated with new products and processes.
• Ensure mitigation plans are developed and executed to support successful production startup and scale-up activities.
• Provide quality leadership during process changes, equipment modifications, and continuous improvement projects.