Manager, Quality

Mizkan America•Lyndonville, NY

41d•$84,000 - $109,100•Onsite

About The Position

The Quality Manager leads the site's Quality and Food Safety programs and ensures compliance with customer, corporate, regulatory, and GFSI requirements. As a member of the site leadership team, the role provides strategic and operational leadership for Quality Systems, Food Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Supplier Quality, Laboratory Operations, and Continuous Improvement. The position develops and maintains an effective Quality Management System, supports customer and regulatory inspections, and collaborates with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, R&D, and Procurement to ensure products are safe, legal, and high quality. The role may also support quality initiatives across affiliated operations and develops quality personnel through coaching, training, and succession planning. Limited travel may be required for bulk plant support, up to 10% of working time.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of progressive Quality Assurance leadership experience within food manufacturing.
Experience managing Quality Systems within GFSI-certified facilities.
Demonstrated experience leading customer, regulatory, and certification audits.
Experience supervising quality professionals and laboratory operations.
Experience with supplier quality management and root cause analysis methodologies.
Strong knowledge of BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000, or equivalent GFSI standards; HACCP and Preventive Controls; FSMA and FDA regulations; GMPs and sanitation programs; statistical analysis and quality improvement methodologies; and CAPA, change control, and risk assessment processes.
Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and conflict resolution skills.
Ability to analyze data, identify trends, drive sustainable improvements, influence cross-functional teams, and lead through organizational change.
Limited travel may be required for bulk plant support, up to 10% of working time.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
HACCP Certification.
PCQI Certification.
ASQ certification such as CQM, CQA, CQE, or equivalent.
Lead Auditor Certification.

Responsibilities

Lead development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the site's Quality Management System.
Ensure compliance with corporate policies, customer requirements, FDA and FSMA requirements, HACCP principles, and applicable certification standards.
Maintain document control, change management, deviation management, CAPA, supplier approval, calibration, and verification programs.
Lead Management Review activities and communicate Quality System performance to senior leadership.
Serve as the site Food Safety Team Leader and maintain and improve HACCP, Preventive Controls, GMP, sanitation, allergen management, and food defense programs.
Lead preparation, execution, and follow-up for BRCGS and other GFSI certification audits, and ensure timely closure of findings and sustainable corrective actions.
Drive food safety culture and employee engagement initiatives that reinforce quality ownership.
Represent Quality during FDA, state regulatory, customer, and third-party audits; manage responses to regulatory observations, complaints, audit findings, and compliance issues.
Lead product hold, disposition, recall, mock recall, and traceability activities, and ensure products meet legal, regulatory, labeling, and specification requirements.
Lead daily quality operations, including incoming materials, in-process monitoring, finished product release, environmental monitoring, and laboratory activities.
Ensure testing programs are scientifically sound, documented, and conducted according to approved procedures; manage laboratory resources, priorities, equipment calibration, and method verification.
Ensure product release decisions are supported by compliant testing and appropriate technical justification.
Establish, monitor, and report Quality KPIs and performance metrics; analyze quality trends, complaints, consumer feedback, audit findings, nonconformances, and process data.
Lead root cause investigations and corrective and preventive actions; partner with Operations to reduce defects, improve process capability, and strengthen preventive controls.
Lead, coach, and develop Quality personnel; build succession plans and development roadmaps for team members.
Conduct training and competency assessments and promote accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
Serve as an active member of the site leadership team and support quality initiatives across affiliated operations as needed.