FSQ Compliance Lead - Day Shift

Schwan's Company•Sioux Falls, SD

13d•$60,000 - $99,000•Onsite

About The Position

The FSQ Compliance Lead is responsible for leading and maintaining food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs to ensure the production of safe, high-quality products that meet customer, company, and regulatory requirements. This role serves as a key technical resource and compliance leader, driving adherence to food safety standards, HACCP programs, regulatory requirements, audit readiness, laboratory oversight, and continuous improvement initiatives. The FSQ Compliance Lead partners closely with Operations, Sanitation, Engineering, Research & Development, Supply Chain, and Corporate FSQ teams to ensure compliance with USDA, FDA, state, federal, customer, and company standards while advancing the facility's food safety culture and quality performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in food science, Food Safety, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, or a related scientific discipline required.
5-7+ years of progressive experience in Food Safety, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Compliance, Laboratory Management, or Food Manufacturing.
Strong understanding of food safety systems, HACCP, GFSI standards, Preventive Controls, and regulatory compliance requirements.
Working knowledge of microbiology, chemistry, laboratory operations, and sanitation verification programs.
Ability to interpret scientific, technical, and analytical data to support business and compliance decisions.
Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
Advanced project management and organizational skills.
Knowledge of manufacturing operations and food production processes.
Strong statistical analysis and data interpretation capabilities.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced Excel skills.
Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication abilities.
Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build collaborative relationships across multiple functions.
Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Proven leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
Ability to drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance food safety, quality, compliance, and operational performance.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree preferred.
Experience supporting USDA and/or FDA-regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
Previous experience leading audits, inspections, HACCP programs, and compliance initiatives strongly preferred.
Leadership experience managing teams and cross-functional projects preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and maintain compliance with all food safety, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements.
Serve as the facility subject matter expert for food safety regulations, HACCP, Preventive Controls, and quality compliance programs.
Monitor regulatory changes and industry trends, ensuring timely implementation of new requirements and best practices.
Act as the primary facility contact during regulatory inspections, audits, and customer assessments.
Support development, implementation, verification, and continuous improvement of Food Safety and Quality Management Systems.
Conduct food safety risk assessments for processes, ingredients, products, and operational changes.
Assist in Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) program implementation, compliance, and audit readiness.
Serve as the HACCP Program Lead for the facility, supporting HACCP plan development, reassessments, validations, and ongoing compliance.
Develop and execute CCP validation studies and verification activities.
Conduct HACCP and food safety training programs for plant employees and leadership teams.
Support environmental monitoring programs and investigate food safety concerns through root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure food safety risks are effectively identified, evaluated, and mitigated.
Oversee facility laboratory operations and ensure testing programs meet established food safety and quality requirements.
Maintain microbiological testing methods, standards, and procedures to ensure regulatory and customer compliance.
Review, interpret, and communicate microbiological and analytical testing results to plant leadership and corporate FSQ teams.
Ensure raw materials, ingredients, in-process materials, and finished products meet established specifications.
Lead sampling plans, testing studies, validations, and investigative projects while ensuring accurate documentation and reporting.
Verify laboratory equipment, systems, and testing processes remain operational, calibrated, and compliant.
Partner with Sanitation and Operations teams to verify and validate sanitation programs, procedures, and environmental controls.
Monitor sanitation and microbiological performance trends and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Lead investigations into food safety, quality, and compliance deviations and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
Utilize data analytics, trend analysis, and performance metrics to drive improvements in compliance, product quality, and operational effectiveness.
Identify and lead projects that improve food safety systems, product consistency, and regulatory compliance.
Lead, develop, and coach FSQ and laboratory personnel to ensure technical competency and high performance.
Establish performance expectations and provide training and development opportunities to build team capability.
Foster a culture of accountability, food safety ownership, compliance excellence, and continuous improvement.
Collaborate effectively with plant leadership, corporate teams, and external stakeholders to achieve business and compliance objectives.
Promote company values, ethical conduct, and professional standards throughout all activities.