DIRECTOR OF QUALITY & FOOD SAFETY
CACIQUE LLC•Amarillo, TX
•Onsite
About The Position
The Director of Quality & Food Safety is the senior, on-site quality leader for a single dairy manufacturing facility, responsible for driving daily execution and long-term performance of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs. This role is highly operational and hands-on, serving as a process authority and technical leader within the plant while actively participating in plant activities and continuous improvement initiatives. The Director partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, R&D, and the Site Lean/Six Sigma Champion to integrate food safety and quality into manufacturing processes, eliminate variation, and strengthen risk-based decision-making. This position leads the site Quality team and ensures the facility consistently produces safe, compliant, and high-quality dairy products.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field
- 7–10 years of progressive experience in food quality and food safety within manufacturing, with direct experience in dairy processing strongly preferred
- 5+ years of on-site quality leadership experience (Manager, Senior Manager, or Plant QA Director equivalent)
- HACCP certification
- SQF Practitioner certification
- Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification
- Strong working knowledge of dairy operations, food microbiology, food pathogens, PMO, CFRs, and FDA regulations
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with root cause analysis and CAPA
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with process validation and change management
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with Gemba-based problem solving
- Experience working with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies; collaboration with site CI teams required
- Proficiency with LIMS, QMS, and quality data systems
- Strong communication skills with the ability to influence operators, supervisors, and plant leadership
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with daily operational execution
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary food safety and quality authority for the plant, providing real-time decision-making support to Operations and Plant Leadership
- Actively participate in daily plant activities including Gemba walks, production meetings, shift handoffs, changeovers, and troubleshooting
- Drive a culture of open communication, accountability, and shared ownership of food safety and quality across all departments and shifts
- Maintain clear, frequent, and effective communication with Production, Engineering, Supply Chain, R&D, Maintenance, and Customer Service to quickly address quality concerns and operational risks
- Translate customer requirements, complaints, and quality expectations into actionable plant-level controls and process improvements
- Enable faster, data-driven decision-making by ensuring timely escalation, alignment, and closure of quality and food safety issues
- Partner with plant leadership to balance customer responsiveness, operational flexibility, and food safety risk management
- Own and administer the site Safe Quality Food (SQF) program, ensuring sustained certification and audit readiness
- Ensure compliance with FDA, Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), customer standards, and internal requirements
- Lead regulatory inspections, customer audits, internal audits, and corrective action follow-up
- Work closely with the Site Lean/Six Sigma Champion to reduce process variation, quality defects, and food safety risks
- Participate in Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives focused on throughput, quality, and waste reduction
- Serve as a process authority for new equipment, process changes, line modifications, and new product introductions
- Lead cross-functional root cause analysis and Corrective/Preventive Action (CAPA) activities using structured problem-solving methodologies
- Collaborate with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure raw material quality, supplier compliance, and effective issue resolution
- Support supplier corrective actions and risk assessments as needed
- Act as the site technical lead for customer complaints, quality concerns, and food safety issues
- Ensure thorough investigations, root cause identification, and timely, effective corrective actions
- Support product holds, withdrawals, recalls, and crisis response efforts when required
- Track, analyze, and communicate quality and food safety KPIs to plant leadership
- Use Quality Management System (QMS), Laboratory Information Systems (LIMS), and quality data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
- Promote transparency and shared understanding of quality performance across departments
- Lead and develop the site Quality & Food Safety team
- Ensure effective onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management
- Train plant personnel on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety expectations, quality standards, and customer requirements
- Perform other plant-related responsibilities aligned with business objectives
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
