Director of Quality

Cayuga Milk Ingredients, LLC • Auburn, NY

just now • $153,000 - $218,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Director of Quality is responsible for ensuring top-tier quality standards within a dynamic dairy manufacturing environment. This position leads the development and execution of a comprehensive quality strategy, driving initiatives to exceed regulatory and customer expectations for food safety, quality, and innovation. The Sr. Director of Quality will oversee all quality assurance, food safety, and regulatory functions, establishing metrics, maintaining compliance, and implementing best practices across for the consumer products plant. This role also supervises the Certified Lab, manages lab safety protocols, and ensures thorough reporting to Cayuga Farms. This is a hands on, in the trenches role that is also expected to be strategic.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of experience in quality assurance within food manufacturing of dairy products.
• Bachelor’s degree in food technology, Dairy Science, or a related field preferred.
• Strong expertise in regulatory compliance, food safety, labeling, and quality standards for dairy production.
• Proven leadership and supervisory experience.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in Aseptic and ELS processes is highly valued.
• Familiarity with Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and mass spectrometry is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local food safety, environmental, and quality regulations through regular inspections, risk assessments, and program evaluations.
• Build and sustain productive relationships with regulatory bodies (e.g., FDA, NY Agriculture & Markets, USDA, OSHA) to uphold industry standards.
• Lead root cause analyses and implement corrective actions for quality incidents, ensuring preventive measures are in place.
• Oversee the Quality Assurance (QA) program, including comprehensive product analysis (chemical, physical, organoleptic, bacteriological) and product shelf-life assessments.
• Develop and deliver quality training for plant personnel covering key areas like sanitation, allergen control, and proper handling procedures.
• Lead HACCP and Safe Quality Food (SQF) teams, ensuring that processes meet rigorous quality and safety standards.
• Collaborate with R&D to validate the safety and quality of finished products, with a focus on ingredient inspection, sampling, testing, and compliance with packaging and sanitation protocols.
• Work closely with operations teams to proactively resolve quality issues and continuously improve plant processes.
• Manage laboratory and technical staff, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and USPH testing standards.
• Maintain precise product formulations and manufacturing protocols for all dairy products produced.
• Oversee pest control, pathogen monitoring, sanitation audits, and the documentation of quality-related records.
• Lead quality assurance programs for international shipments and aseptic/Extended Shelf Life (ESL) production readiness.
• Foster a positive, productive work environment, maintaining open communication with employees across all levels.
• Engage with production teams on the floor, ensuring equipment and processes meet quality targets.
• Oversee scheduling and supervision of QA and lab personnel, ensuring optimal staffing and efficient operations.
• Drive a culture of proactive quality management through training programs on dairy testing procedures, COA completion, and milk sampling best practices.
• Generate and share quality performance reports with senior management to support data-driven decision-making.
• Investigate customer complaints, address root causes and improve customer satisfaction.
• Facilitate regular departmental meetings to ensure alignment on quality goals and expectations.
• Develop and manage the annual quality budget, setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to drive cost efficiencies.
• Identify and implement strategies to reduce quality-related operating expenses without compromising safety or compliance.
• Support quality and food safety programs on off-shifts as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the VP of Quality, aligning with the organization’s growth and quality objectives.
• Additional responsibilities may be included to support evolving business needs.

Benefits

• 10% incentive for financial and personal goals

What This Job Offers

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