Director of Quality & Food Safety

AMERICAN POP CORN COMPANY CORP • Sioux City, IA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

Lead American Pop Corn Company’s food safety, quality assurance, laboratory, and regulatory compliance programs. Establish and maintain effective systems that protect consumers, meet customer and certification requirements, and support consistent manufacturing of safe, high-quality popcorn products.

The role oversees food safety and certification programs, quality assurance and laboratory operations, supplier and raw-material quality, sanitation and allergen programs, regulatory and customer requirements, and incident response. It leads the Quality Supervisor and Product Development Specialist and works closely with Product Development, Production, Marketing, sanitation leadership, and other teams. The position is based in both an office setting and a manufacturing facility; work outside standard office hours may be required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, microbiology, chemistry, or a related discipline.
• Significant progressive experience in food manufacturing quality assurance and food safety, including people leadership.
• Strong leadership skills and a proven track record of leading teams and managing people.
• Hands-on HACCP, FSMA/PCQI, and GFSI-recognized certification program experience.
• Experience managing a quality lab, supplier quality, investigations, and audits.
• Excellent communication skills to engage employees at all levels and encourage collaboration.
• Ability to set clear expectations, guide department supervisors, identify and minimize risks, and ensure safety compliance.
• Ability to maintain legal and regulatory compliance while upholding high standards and ethical conduct.
• Sound decision-making skills to prioritize initiatives, assess risks, and align decisions with the organization.
• Deep understanding of technical aspects related to APCC products.
• Strong problem-solving skills to address quality issues promptly and effectively.
• Analytical skills to assess data, processes, and systems and identify areas for improvement.
• Ability to work in both an office and manufacturing-facility environment and adapt to production demands.
• Ability to sit, stand, and move throughout the workday; occasional lifting of supplies typically not exceeding 20 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• BRCGS experience preferred.
• Experience with shelf-stable snacks, fats/oils, or microwave products is a plus.
• International labeling experience preferred.
• Kosher and halal experience preferred.
• ERP, SPC, Power BI, Excel, and quality reporting tool experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Direct the BRCGS food safety certification program, HACCP plans, and FSMA compliance activities.
• Maintain and improve food safety plans, SOPs, SSOPs, records, training, verification activities, and audit readiness.
• Help lead internal, customer, regulatory, and certification audits; oversee corrective actions and timely closure of findings.
• Maintain product and ingredient specifications, quality databases, ERP traceability, and recall-readiness procedures; develop production BOMs in an ERP program and support production planning systems.
• Lead the Quality Supervisor and Product Development Specialist, setting priorities, training, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Oversee lab equipment, supplies, maintenance, and methods, including peroxide value, oil color, moisture, salt, allergen, microbiological, and popping-performance testing, as well as QC-related production equipment.
• Assess slurry process deviations and misbatches; coordinate corrective formula decisions with Product Development and Production.
• Oversee sampling, analytical and microbiological testing, shelf-life studies, calibration, and reliable reporting of results.
• Track quality metrics, identify trends, and drive preventive and corrective improvements with operations.
• Calculate nutritional profiles and develop FDA-compliant ingredient statements.
• Manage supplier and raw-material qualification, specifications, receiving and testing standards, and supplier corrective actions for ingredients, packaging, and co-manufacturers.
• Maintain allergen controls and the allergen matrix; partner with sanitation leadership on environmental monitoring and sanitation validation, including CIP and warewashing as applicable.
• Coordinate ingredient and packaging supplier issues, including flavors and microwave popcorn bags.
• Review ingredient declarations, allergen statements, labeling compliance, product claims, and export requirements with Marketing and Product Development.
• Maintain applicable kosher, halal, gluten-free, and other customer or product certifications.
• Investigate complaints, nonconforming product, and food safety incidents; direct holds, disposition decisions, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions within company authority.
• Maintain customer quality documentation and retailer portals, and communicate food safety risks promptly to leadership.
• Serve as a food regulatory resource for FDA changes, including labeling for the US, Canada, and international markets.
• Partner with Product Development on safe product introductions, specifications, allergen review, and manufacturing handoffs.
• Build a proactive food safety culture through coaching, floor presence, and cross-functional training.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

Benefits

• Free family health insurance, including a major medical plan with full coverage.
• Free family dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• 401(k) with a 4% match.
• Six paid holidays.
• Paid time off (PTO).
• Referral bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director