Multi-Site Quality Manager - Dairy

Industry leading dairy company in the Pittsburgh, PA area is seeking a Multi-Site Quality Manager for 3 locations within the region that will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance activities across three assigned dairy manufacturing facilities. This role is responsible for standardizing quality policies, enforcing strict corporate and federal standards, and developing plant-level quality teams. The successful candidate will ensure that all facilities maintain audit readiness and continuously comply with the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), FDA, USDA, and SQF codes. Direct, hands-on quality management experience within a fluid milk or dairy manufacturing environment is strictly required for consideration.

Key Responsibilities

• Multi-Site Quality Standardization: Standardize and harmonize the Quality Management System (QMS), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) across all three manufacturing sites to ensure operational consistency
• Regulatory & Audit Compliance: Serve as the primary SQF Practitioner and lead contact for all FDA, USDA, state department of agriculture, and third-party customer audits. Ensure 100% compliance with the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) and FSMA regulations
• Food Safety Plan Management: Oversee, update, and validate plant-specific HACCP and Hazard Analysis/Preventive Controls plans, focusing heavily on pasteurization critical control points (CCPs)
• Personnel Leadership: Manage, mentor, and evaluate on-site Quality Supervisors and Laboratory Technicians across all locations, fostering a strong culture of food safety on the production floor
• Sanitation & CIP Oversight: Partner with operations and chemical suppliers to audit and validate Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Clean-out-of-Place (COP) sanitation cycles, chemical concentrations, and environmental testing protocols
• Pathogen Environmental Monitoring (PEM): Direct robust environmental monitoring and pathogen control programs tailored specifically to high-moisture dairy environments
• Laboratory & Testing Standards: Oversee plant laboratories to guarantee proper calibration and operation of dairy testing equipment, including component analyzers, somatic cell counters, and regulatory antibiotic screening (Appendix N)
• Corrective Actions (CAPA): Lead root-cause investigations for out-of-specification product runs, micro-failures, raw milk issues, and consumer complaints. Implement decisive corrective and preventive action plans
• Performance Metrics: Track, analyze, and report on regional quality KPIs, including first-pass yields, shelf-life study results, and sensory evaluation scoring to corporate leadership

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Qualifications

• Experience (Strictly Required): Minimum of 5 to 7 years of progressive QA/QC management experience directly within a fluid milk, cheese, yogurt, or dairy ingredient processing facility
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science, Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a closely related technical field
• Certifications: Current certifications as an SQF Practitioner, PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual), and HACCP manage
• Technical Knowledge
• Expertise in HTST (High-Temperature Short-Time) or ESL (Extended Shelf Life) pasteurization regulations and charting
• Deep understanding of raw milk receiving requirements, dairy microbiology, and wet-plant sanitation mechanic
• Travel & Mobility: Ability to travel up to 50% to maintain a consistent, visible presence across all three regional facilities.