Quality & Food Safety Leader

Location: Madison

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Summary
This position is responsible for ensuring the production of safe, high-quality food products in compliance with regulatory, customer, and company standards. This role leads the facility's food safety and quality programs, oversees compliance with HACCP, FSMA, and GFSI requirements, and provides leadership to QA and sanitation teams to maintain continuous improvement in quality systems and plant hygiene.

Essential Functions

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Manage and maintain the plant's Quality Management System (QMS) to meet internal, customer, and third-party audit requirements.
• Oversee daily QA operations including product testing, process verification, and documentation review.
• Lead and coordinate internal, customer, and regulatory audits (FDA, USDA, State, GFSI).
• Investigate non-conformances, implement root cause analysis, and ensure timely corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Ensure compliance with labeling, allergen control, and traceability requirements.
• Maintain accurate and complete quality and production records in compliance with regulatory standards.

Food Safety & HACCP

• Serve as the plant's PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual).
• Oversee implementation, verification, and validation of food safety programs including HACCP, FSMA Preventive Controls, environmental monitoring, and supplier verification.
• Lead the Food Safety Team and ensure effective communication of food safety objectives across departments.
• Monitor trends in microbiological results, environmental swabs, and product testing to proactively identify risks.

Leadership & Training

• Develop and deliver employee training on GMPs, food safety, allergen control, sanitation, and quality awareness.
• Promote a culture of food safety and continuous improvement throughout the facility.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Production, Maintenance, and Sanitation teams to ensure alignment with quality objectives.

Continuous Improvement

• Analyze process data to identify opportunities for quality improvement and waste reduction.
• Support implementation of initiatives related to product quality and safety.
• Recommend and validate changes to formulations, processes, or equipment to improve quality performance.

Competencies

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Problem Solving/Analysis

Works independently

Dependable

Strong Communication Skills

Teamwork

Innovative

Computer Skills

Time Management/Initiative

Attentive to detail

Trainable

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Supervisory Responsibility
This position will have direct supervisory responsibility for a portion of the Quality Assurance team.

Work Environment
This job operates in a plant environment and office. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. Exposed to extreme temperature variations. The noise level in the work environment and job sites can be loud.

Physical Demands
The physical demands for this position are approximately 60% active and 40% sedentary work. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently will need to sit, stand, walk and climb stairs. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Typical schedule is Monday through Friday with occasional evening and weekend work possible based on specific project needs.

Travel
Less than ten percent travel expected for this position.

Required Education, Experience & Certifications

Bachelor's degree in related field and/or a minimum of 10 years' experience in food manufacturing quality assurance and/or sanitation leadership. Knowledge of food safety regulations including HACCP, GMP, FSMA and SQF. Strong leadership and team management experience. Ability to conduct audits, troubleshoot quality issues and implement improvements.

Preferred Education, Experience & Certifications

Master's degree in food science. Bilingual in English/Spanish. Preventive Controls Qualified Individual certification.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of responsibilities, duties or tasks that are required of the employee for this job. Responsibilities, duties and tasks may change at any time with or without notice.

Monday - Friday; night or weekends as needed for projects
8:00 am - 5:00 pm