Quality Manager

West Pak Avocado • Murrieta, CA

3d • $90,000 - $120,000

About The Position

The Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager owns the systems that uphold quality and food safety standards across West Pak Avocado’s U.S. facilities in Murrieta, California; Dallas, Texas; and Swedesboro, New Jersey. The role partners with plant leadership to maintain audit-ready facilities, improve the plant Quality System, respond to customer feedback, and develop site-based Quality Supervisors, Inspectors, and Sanitation team members. A central focus is conducting thorough root cause investigations, identifying trends and emerging risks, and ensuring corrective and preventive actions are completed and effective.

The manager owns HACCP and Preventive Controls plans, leads the facility Food Safety Team, and ensures compliance with FSMA and applicable regulatory requirements. The role also leads audit programs, supports product conformance and development, manages sampling and supplier compliance programs, and coordinates recalls as directed by Corporate Food Safety and Quality. The position is based on a Monday-through-Friday day shift starting at 7:00 a.m., with flexibility for overtime as needed and availability to respond to calls and emails throughout the weekend.

Requirements

• College degree in food science, food technology, microbiology, or a related field.
• At least 5 years in a progressively responsible QA supervisory or management role, including experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• HACCP certification and experience developing HACCP plans.
• Proven experience leading root cause investigations, trend analysis, and CAPA programs.
• Experience working with state and local regulators.
• Strong statistical and analytical skills, including experience with spreadsheets and statistical tools.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Customer-first mindset and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while remaining professional and diplomatic under pressure.
• Availability to respond to calls and emails throughout the weekend.

Nice To Haves

• Ready-to-eat and USDA-inspected operations experience is strongly preferred.
• PrimusGFS and Famous experience is a plus.
• PCQI certification is a plus.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer and consumer complaint responses, tracking, and prevention, using findings to prevent repeat issues.
• Lead root cause investigations for quality, food safety, and customer issues using structured tools such as 5 Whys and fishbone analysis; drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to closure and verify effectiveness.
• Analyze quality, audit, complaint, and supplier data to identify trends and emerging risks, and report findings and recommendations to leadership.
• Lead the plant Quality System and team for U.S. locations in Murrieta, California; Dallas, Texas; and Swedesboro, New Jersey, working with plant management to maintain and improve the system.
• Own HACCP and Preventive Controls plans, lead the facility Food Safety Team, and ensure compliance with FSMA and regulatory requirements.
• Anticipate and respond to federal, state, county, and city requirements, including USDA and FDA requirements, and lead corrective and preventive actions in partnership with the Senior Manager of Quality based in Michoacan, Mexico.
• Lead third-party audits and internal audit programs, and track corrective actions to completion.
• Make collaborative decisions on raw, in-process, and finished product; support product specifications and new product development.
• Coordinate recall efforts as directed by Corporate Food Safety and Quality, and manage the environmental and regulatory sampling program.
• Build and maintain service supplier compliance and performance tracking programs.
• Set goals, track business metrics, and use investigation and trend findings to improve processes.
• Hire, train, coach, and develop site-based Quality Supervisors, Inspectors, and Sanitation team members.

Benefits

• 401(k) Safe Harbor plan with a 100% match on the first 3% contributed and a 50% match on the next 2%, fully vested.
• Medical plan choices, including PPO options; West Pak pays 85% of employee premiums on the standard PPO.
• Company-paid Basic Life and AD&D insurance, and short- and long-term disability.
• Flexible Spending Account.
• Paid time off.
• Voluntary life, pet, and legal insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.

What This Job Offers

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