Director, Food Safety & Quality

Just Food Company•Emeryville, CA

5d•$175,000 - $210,000•Onsite

About The Position

Just Food Company is seeking a hands-on leader to own food safety and quality across internal operations and co-manufacturing partners. The Director will build and execute scalable systems in a lean, fast-paced environment, serving as the point person for QA/QC and working across all groups and levels of the organization. The role reports to the CTO, with a dotted line to the COO. The position provides quality and regulatory leadership for North American and European operations, including Germany and potential future European markets. It oversees the company's global Quality Management System, food safety compliance, audits, specifications, testing, product labeling, regulatory documentation, and strategies supporting existing products, new launches, and international expansion. The Director advises executive leadership and partners with Operations, Manufacturing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to embed quality throughout the product lifecycle and foster a culture of food safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. This is a full-time, regular, onsite position at the company's Emeryville, California headquarters, five days per week. The role involves travel to facilities and co-manufacturing partners, domestically and internationally, up to 25% maximum. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

Requirements

Minimum 10 years of relevant food industry experience, including direct QA/QC ownership.
At least 3 years in a leadership role.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in food science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field.
Deep understanding of food safety systems, allergen control, and GFSI certification standards.
Strong working knowledge of food microbiology and product development cycles.
Experience working with co-manufacturers and navigating international regulatory landscapes.
Clear communication skills; ability to remain calm under pressure and lead cross-functional workstreams.
Ability to join virtual meetings or calls overlapping with Europe manufacturing hours, including early Pacific hours, as needed.
Willingness and flexibility to travel domestically and internationally without restrictions, up to 25% maximum.
Authorization to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

PCQI certification is highly preferred.
Advanced degrees or certifications in food safety or quality management are preferred.
Experience with plant-based food manufacturing is a strong plus.
Ability to thrive in a lean, fast-paced environment as both a builder and a doer.

Responsibilities

Own and continuously improve the global Quality Management System across internal manufacturing sites and co-manufacturing partners.
Provide quality and regulatory leadership for North American and European operations, including Germany and potential future European markets, ensuring compliance with applicable customer, regulatory, and certification requirements.
Manage remote quality functions and personnel directly or indirectly where appropriate.
Ensure compliance with applicable food safety and regulatory requirements, including FDA, FSVP, USDA, HACCP, SQF/BRC, export, and international regulations.
Lead internal, customer, certification, and regulatory audits, driving audit readiness, corrective actions, and continuous compliance.
Oversee raw material, in-process, and finished goods specifications, testing programs, and release standards.
Own product labeling, regulatory reviews, and documentation to ensure ongoing compliance across markets.
Develop, maintain, and execute regulatory strategies and dossiers supporting existing products, new product launches, and international market expansion.
Advise executive leadership on food safety risk, regulatory strategy, international expansion, and emerging industry requirements as the company's quality and regulatory subject matter expert.
Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to embed quality throughout the product lifecycle.
Build scalable quality systems and processes to support company growth, new manufacturing partners, and geographic expansion.
Drive a culture of food safety, quality excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Travel to internal facilities and co-manufacturing partners to evaluate food safety and quality performance, verify compliance with company standards, and support operational excellence.