Director of Quality

Director of Quality

We are working with a well-established and growing food & beverage manufacturer in the Greater Syracuse area that is expanding its leadership team. The company is looking for a dynamic, hands-on Director of Quality that can work closely with the plant, operations and leadership teams. This role is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive quality strategy to ensure food safety, regulatory compliance, and product quality across the organization.

Location: Greater Syracuse Area

Job Responsibilities:

• Oversee compliance with food safety, quality, and environmental regulations through inspections, audits, and program evaluations.
• Maintain relationships with regulatory agencies including FDA, USDA, OSHA, and state authorities.
• Lead investigations into quality issues, including root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions.
• Direct quality assurance and laboratory operations including testing and validation programs.
• Develop and implement training programs related to sanitation, food safety, and quality standards.
• Lead HACCP and SQF programs to ensure compliance with industry standards.
• Partner with R&D to validate product safety, ingredients, and packaging requirements.
• Collaborate with operations to drive continuous improvement and process optimization.
• Support a culture of accountability, communication, and continuous improvement across teams.
• Manage QA and lab personnel, including scheduling, development, and performance.
• Provide reporting and analysis on quality metrics to leadership.
• Handle customer complaints and ensure resolution through corrective action.
• Support budgeting and identify cost-saving opportunities within quality operations.
• Lead special projects aligned with business and quality initiatives.

Required Skills/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related discipline preferred.
• 10 years of experience in quality leadership within food or beverage manufacturing.
• Experience in regulated manufacturing environments; dairy or beverage experience preferred.
• Experience with aseptic and/or ESL processes preferred.
• Strong knowledge of FDA, USDA, and state regulatory requirements.
• Proven leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.