Food Safety and Quality Site Manager

At Yerba Madre, we’re building more than beverages, we’re building a movement rooted in community, sustainability, and connection. The Food Safety & Quality Site Manager ensures Yerba Madre’s co‑manufacturing partners consistently meet all food safety, regulatory, and product quality requirements. This role provides on‑site oversight at partner facilities, monitors production quality, leads audits and investigations, and supports continuous improvement initiatives.

PLEASE NOTE***The position is based in Yerba Madre’s Los Angeles office, min 3 days a week when not doing the required regular travel to co‑packers across North America, including occasional off‑shift or weekend support.

What You’ll Do

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the following satisfactorily; other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

   

  On-Site Oversight & Monitoring

  • Serve as the primary on-site quality and food safety liaison for all co-manufacturing facilities.
  • Conduct regular site visits to monitor production quality, verify process controls, and address emerging issues.
  • Oversee product quality during production runs, including new launches, reformulations, and high-risk SKUs.

   

  Food Safety, Compliance & Audit Readiness

  • Ensure execution of Yerba Madre’s Food Safety Plan, HACCP/HARPC programs, GMPs, sanitation standards, allergen controls, and preventive controls.
  • Lead internal audits (GMP, sanitation, food safety) and support external certification audits (SQF, BRC, organic, kosher).
  • Maintain documentation of audits, site visits, investigations, test results, and quality records to ensure full compliance with FSMA and other regulatory requirements.
  • Support traceability exercises, mock recalls, and ongoing regulatory compliance activities.

   

  Quality Issue Management

  • Investigate quality deviations, consumer complaints, and nonconformances; lead structured root-cause analysis and drive effective CAPA implementation.
  • Track co-packer quality performance, identify trends, and support continuous improvement efforts.

   

  Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Partner with other Supply Chain teams, and R&D to resolve manufacturing quality issues and ensure alignment on product and process standards.
  • Maintain a cooperative working environment through regular communication, meetings, and collaborative problem-solving.

   

  Other Duties

  Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the manager.

   

  How you’ll be sucessful in this role:

  Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following.

   

  Decision-Making

  Demonstrates strong, timely decision-making in fast-paced manufacturing environments; balances risk, compliance, and operational needs under pressure.

   

  Communication

  Communicates effectively across technical and non-technical audiences; engages confidently with co-manufacturers, cross-functional teams, and certification bodies.

   

  Co-Manufacturer Collaboration

  Builds strong, trust-based relationships with co-packers; partners effectively to resolve issues, drive improvement, and ensure alignment with Yerba Madre standards.

   

  Proactive Learning & Initiative

  Proactively identifies risks, opportunities, and process improvements; continually develops technical and regulatory expertise.

   

  Planning & Organization

  Manages time and priorities effectively across multiple facilities, audits, and documentation requirements in a complex, multi-site environment.

   

  Structured Problem Solving

  Applies structured methodologies (e.g., Fishbone, 5 Why, DMAIC) to diagnose issues, lead investigations, and implement sustainable corrective actions.

  minimum experience and qualifications

  Education & Experience

  Bachelor’s degree in food science, Microbiology, Engineering, or related field.

  5 years of experience in a quality or food safety role within a food manufacturing environment; organic or natural foods experience preferred.

  Experience conducting audits, leading investigations, performing root-cause analysis, and implementing CAPA.

  Familiarity with FDA regulations, HACCP, food safety management programs, and quality standards.

  Experience with Statistical Process Control, Six Sigma, or TQM is a plus.

  Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

   

  Technical Skills

  Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, sanitation, allergen control, environmental monitoring, and FSMA requirements.

  Experience with root-cause analysis tools (5 Why, Fishbone, 8D, DMAIC).

  Understanding of beverage manufacturing processes and relevant quality control points.

  Ability to calculate ratios, proportions, percentages, volumes, and other relevant metrics; familiarity with SPC concepts.

   

  Language & Reasoning Skills

  Ability to read, interpret, and draft technical, regulatory, and business documents and reports.

  Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills; able to solve problems involving multiple variables in standardized situations.

   

  Computer Skills

  Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word).

  Familiarity with supplier-management databases and internet research.

  Experience with TraceGains and Smartsheet a plus.

   

  Certificates & Licenses

  Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification required.

  HACCP certification (or ability to obtain within 6 months).

  Internal auditor or GFSI scheme training preferred.

   

  travel & physical requirements:

  Role is based in Los Angeles with ~50% travel to co-manufacturing facilities.

  Work occurs in both office and production-floor environments. Office onsite: ~2–3 days/week

  Occasional evening, weekend, or off-shift support may be required during production runs.

  Must be able to manage multiple priorities, maintain focus under interruptions, and work both independently and collaboratively.

  Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, bend, stoop, kneel, and maintain balance.

  Must be able to navigate manufacturing settings, including stairs, catwalks, and varying temperatures.

  Ability to stand or walk for extended periods on production floors.

  Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

  Use of PPE required depending on site conditions.

What we offer:

Yerba Madre—formerly Guayakí Yerba Mate—is the nearly 30-year pioneer of regenerative yerba mate [yer-bah ma-tay] and the category leader in ready-to-drink mate beverages across North America. The name Yerba Madre, meaning “Mother Herb,” is a tribute to Mother Earth and the ancestral wisdom of the Indigenous communities who have cultivated yerba mate for generations —a reflection of the values the brand has championed since day one. 

Headquartered in Sebastopol and Los Angeles, California, Yerba Madre sources organic, shade-grown yerba mate in direct partnership with 255 family farmers and Indigenous communities across Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Using its Market Driven Regeneration™ model, every purchase helps reforest the Atlantic Forest, support fair trade premiums, and build long-term economic resilience for grower communities. 

In 2025, the brand became the world’s first yerba mate to achieve Regenerative Organic Certified™ Gold® status——setting a new global standard for ecological integrity, cultural respect, and environmental restoration. 

As an original founding member of the B Corp community and a founding member of the Purpose Pledge, Yerba Madre is committed to ethical business practices across ten key pillars, including climate positivity, living wages, circularity, and inclusion. Yerba Madre is available in over 45,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit www.YerbaMadre.com. 

Yerba Madre is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, genetic information, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.