Manager Quality Control

Baldwin Richardson Foods•Pennsauken Township, NJ

About The Position

The Manager Quality Control is responsible for implementing, managing, monitoring, and maintaining the plant’s Microbiology and Analytical programs, including associated laboratory equipment, to ensure compliance with all regulatory, federal, state, and local requirements. This role provides leadership and oversight of all Quality Control activities to ensure products consistently meet customer expectations, internal standards, and food safety requirements. The Manager QC leads and develops a team of microbiologists, quality supervisors, and quality technicians supporting a 24/7 operation, ensuring effective testing, monitoring, and verification of processes related to raw materials, in-process production, finished goods, and allergen controls. This position also supports the facility’s SQF program, including audit readiness, documentation compliance, corrective actions, and ongoing verification activities to ensure alignment with SQF Code requirements. The QC Manager partners cross-functionally with Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, R&D, and Supply Chain to drive continuous improvement and uphold consistent product quality and food safety performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Science, Biology, or related field required.
A minimum of five (5+) years of experience in a quality laboratory environment, preferably within food, beverage, chemical, or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
A minimum of two (2) years of people management experience, including direct responsibility for managing team performance, delivering feedback, development of employees, hiring and terminations.

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of laboratory testing methods (chemical, microbiological, physical) and equipment.
Knowledge of regulatory standards (FDA, PCQI, SQF, etc.).
Proficient in root cause analysis, CAPA processes, and statistical analysis.

Responsibilities

Lead and supervise, Supervisors Quality, Quality Technicians, and Microbiologists across all shifts.
Manage day-to-day lab activities, ensuring timely and accurate testing of in‑process samples, and finished products.
Oversee raw material, in-process, and finished product testing according to specifications.
Maintain QC testing programs including microbiological, chemical, sensory, and physical testing.
Ensure proper equipment calibration, verification, and maintenance of laboratory instruments.
Review and approve test results.
Support investigations related to microbiological failures, presumptive positives, and environmental hits.
Assist with root cause investigations, corrective action documentation, and follow-up verification.
Support CAPA tracking and effectiveness checks as assigned.
Assist with sanitation validation/verification studies such as swab studies and ATP correlation efforts.
Manages employee performance by clearly defining job responsibilities and standards of performance; tracking progress against goals; providing clear, thorough, timely feedback; and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.
Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, HACCP, GMPs, FSMA, SQF and other applicable standards.
Maintain and update quality procedures, SOPs, forms, inspection protocols, and lab processes.
Support audits (customer, regulatory, third-party) and lead corrective actions.
Analyze quality data trends and lead root cause analysis (5 Why, 6 M’s, etc.).
Drive improvements to reduce consumer complaints, deviations, and quality losses.
Collaborate on new product scale-up and qualification processes.
Evaluate testing methods and laboratory processes for efficiency and reliability.
Lead initiatives to improve lab capability, automation, safety, and cost effectiveness.
Support root cause investigations and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA) related to lab or product quality issues.
Hire, train, coach, and develop laboratory staff; manage performance and career development.
Foster a culture of accuracy, safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Create and maintain training programs to ensure competency across all testing procedures.
Manage laboratory data integrity, trending, and reporting.
Prepare and present routine quality metrics to leadership.
Partner with QA, R&D, Supply Chain, and Operations on product quality assessments and improvement projects.
Coordinate test runs and new product/reformulation start-ups in collaboration with Plant Operations, R&D, and Quality teams.
Report outcomes and recommend next steps to management.
Ensure new products meet specifications and compliance standards, and lead corrective action plans when issues arise.