Manager, Food Safety & Quality Assurance - Food Mfg. Exp Req

Home Market Foods•Norwood, MA

2d•$114,000 - $137,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager, Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) is part of the management team and develops and implements food safety and quality assurance strategies, programs, policies, and procedures. The role communicates the FSQA vision to department staff and key stakeholders; manages FSQA functions, staff performance, and workforce planning; and ensures products comply with USDA FSIS regulations and Home Market Foods quality specifications. Sensory evaluation of product color, flavor, smell, and texture is an important part of the role. The manager works closely with manufacturing, R&D, procurement, vendor assurance, sanitation, and other operational teams to support product integrity and safety from raw materials through finished-product shipment. The position is based onsite in Norwood, Massachusetts, with a Monday–Friday schedule from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM. It requires consistent presence on the manufacturing floor and may involve less than 5% travel.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in food science, biology, chemistry, or another related field.
5–8 years of people-management experience in the food industry.
Working knowledge of USDA and FDA regulations.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office products.
Ability to walk, climb stairs, and sit or stand for long periods.
Ability to maintain an extended and consistent presence on the manufacturing floor throughout the workday.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, learn new tasks, and meet productivity quotas.
Ability to travel less than 5% as needed.
Ability to work in areas with exposure to 85-decibel sounds; PPE is provided.

Nice To Haves

Meat-industry experience is highly preferred.
Knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS), SPC, and Total Quality Management (TQM).
Bilingual in Spanish or Portuguese.

Responsibilities

Develop Quality Assurance and Food Safety personnel in their job functions.
Participate in the new-hire process and ensure new-hire training is implemented.
Deliver quarterly and annual performance reviews for shift employees and provide ongoing performance management.
Coach and mentor FSQA Supervisors in leading their teams.
Collaborate with the Associate Director of Food Safety & QA to create career development plans for QA staff.
Collaborate with management to ensure compliance with quality standards, formulations, and procedures and maintain product integrity, safety, and wholesomeness.
Participate in formula design and shelf-life studies with R&D.
Participate in customer complaint and foreign-material investigations.
Collaborate with shift Production Management and partner with operational departments on equipment selection or modification.
Partner with the Food Safety Programs Manager and Vendor Assurance Manager.
Organize and conduct employee training in GMPs, HACCP, SQF, and other topics affecting product safety and quality.
Partner with Vendor Assurance and Procurement to maintain a sustainable raw-material supply and supply-chain visibility; generate procedures and quality specifications; and ensure consistent quality, integrity, and conformance from raw material through finished-product shipment.
Conduct sensory evaluations of products, including taste, smell, texture, and visual evaluation, as needed.
Serve as an FSQA technical resource for company initiatives and cross-functional projects, including Continuous Improvement work to develop solutions supporting company goals and objectives.
Influence processes, technologies, and systems, including SPC, sensing, and AI vision, to ensure consistently high product quality.
Partner with the Sanitation team to ensure program compliance.
Ensure plant and product conformance to third-party audit standards such as GFSI SQF, including audit preparation and employee awareness training.
Serve as a backup SQF Practitioner.
Develop professional working relationships with regulatory agencies such as the FDA and USDA.
Develop organizational understanding of the cost of quality.
Manage competing priorities, adapt to changing operational demands, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Perform other duties as assigned.