Manager of Quality & Food Safety

Title
:
Manager of Quality & Food Safety
Location
:
Paterson NJ
Schedule
: M-F 8-5 occasional weekends during training
Start
: ASAP
Salary
: $115-$130k with 5% bonus

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field required

• MUST Have Flavor or Ingredients manufacturing background
• Experienced managing teams up to 10
• 7+ years of Quality Assurance experience in food manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• GC-MS & HPLC experience a plus.
• Strong understanding of FDA regulations, FSMA, GFSI schemes (SQF/BRC/FSSC 2200, HACCP), GMPs, and food safety requirements.
• Proven experience leading audits and developing HACCP and Preventive Controls programs.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in quality management systems, data analysis, and Microsoft Office; experience with ERP systems (SAGE, ORACLE, SAP) preferred.

Quality & Food Safety Leadership

• Oversee the company’s Food Safety & Quality Management Systems, including FSMA, HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, SQF/BRC/FSSC 22000, and internal quality protocols.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and third-party audit requirements (FDA, FSMA, GFSI, customer audits, etc.).
• Lead and maintain hazard analyses, risk assessments, and preventive controls programs.

Sanitation Management

• Serve as the facility’s Sanitation lead, partner with Operations on overseeing all sanitation activities for the plant.
• Maintain and update Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and Master Sanitation Schedules.
• Ensure compliance with environmental monitoring programs, allergen control, and sanitation verification testing (ATP, micro swabs, environmental swabs).
• Partner closely with Operations to ensure equipment is properly cleaned, assembled, and ready for production start-up.
• Drive continuous improvement in sanitation practices, chemical usage, cleaning validations, and documentation.
• Ensure sanitation practices support audit readiness and meet all GFSI/FSMA and internal requirements.

Team Management & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of QA specialists and Sanitation team members.
• Establish clear expectations, training programs, and performance standards for the department.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and food safety awareness.

Audits & Compliance

• Prepare for and lead internal and external audits, corrective actions, and follow-up improvements.
• Maintain all QA documentation, records, and certifications.
• Collaborate with regulatory agencies and customer quality teams, ensuring timely responses and full transparency.

Quality Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Implement and improve quality assurance processes, product testing procedures, and environmental monitoring programs.
• Partner with Operations and R&D to drive process improvements that reduce waste, improve yield, and ensure consistent product quality.
• Analyze trends in deviations, customer complaints, and non-conformances to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

Production Support & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Provide daily QA support to production to ensure adherence to quality standards and specifications.
• Support new product development through specification creation, change control, commercialization, shelf-life studies, and production trials.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings including Safety, Production, Supply Chain, and R&D to align on quality priorities.

Customer & Supplier Quality Management

• Manage customer complaints, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Oversee supplier approval processes, COAs, and ingredient quality verifications.
• Ensure product traceability, mock recall readiness, and robust documentation control.