QA Supervisor/SQF Practitioner

Piller's Fine Food•Brantford, ON

12h•CA$75,000 - CA$100,000•Onsite

About The Position

This role is for a Quality Supervisor/SQF Practitioner who will provide leadership to the Quality team while overseeing the facility’s food safety, quality, sanitation, and laboratory programs. The company, Piller's, is in the business of crafting high quality, specialty foods and is looking for someone seeking a long-term career in manufacturing with job security, teamwork, and fantastic co-workers. The company culture is described as a community of diverse individuals who enjoy working together.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of related QA/QC experience in food manufacturing environment (meat processing preferred).
At least 2-5 years of supervisory or team leadership experience.
Bachelor’s degree in food science, microbiology, chemistry, or similar scientific field.
OR 2‑year diploma in relevant scientific field.
Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Demonstrates uncompromising integrity and commitment to food safety.
Leads by example and promotes a positive food safety and quality culture.
Effectively coaches, mentors, and develop team members.
Possesses strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
Build collaborative relationships across departments.
Communicate confidently with employees, management, customers, auditors, and regulatory agencies.
Maintains composure and effectiveness during audits, customer concerns, and food safety incidents.
Drives accountability and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Nice To Haves

Meat processing experience

Responsibilities

Provide leadership to the Quality team.
Oversee the facility’s food safety, quality, sanitation, and laboratory programs.
Coach and mentor employees.
Conduct performance reviews.
Establish clear expectations and follow through consistently.
Foster a positive food safety culture.
Build partnerships with production, maintenance, purchasing, IPD etc.
Develop progression planning and training plans for quality team members.
Support HR in recruitment and training.
Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the SQF System as the designated Primary SQF Practitioner.
Oversee the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the SQF system.
Take appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the SQF System and escalate to site management key food safety issues or events.
Communicate to relevant personnel all the essential information to ensure the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF System.
Ensure relevant blackout dates are provided to the Certification Body a minimum of ninety (90) days prior to the start of the audit window.
Manage recertification and maintain the SQF Portal and database.
Coach departmental practitioners to ensure program alignment with code requirements.
Facilitate SQF Team meetings and act as primary contact for certification bodies.
Lead the HACCP/FSEP team and maintain all prerequisite and HACCP documentation.
Conduct annual validations, reassessments, and updates to maintain regulatory compliance.
Build and deliver training modules in Alchemy (Hygiene, Orientation, GMPs, allergens, food defense, HACCP, etc.).
Coordinate structural, food defense, and facility audits and follow through on corrective actions.
Serve as Recall Coordinator; maintain documentation, conduct mock recalls, and support real recall events.
Act as the main CFIA contact; ensure compliance with SFCR licensing, inspection schedules, and export approvals.
Ensure all new Annex I approvals are submitted to CFIA when required for new products and processes intended for Export market.
Work with site CFIA inspectors to sign off on Annex H paperwork for export release.
Assess new ingredients, materials, equipment, and products for HACCP integration and risk and keep Prophecy workflows moving forward.
Participate in Crisis Management Team activities and support product holds and risk assessments.
Collaborate with Operations to implement effective sanitation programs and SSOPs.
Review chemical supplier reports, validate chemical use, and lead sanitation team meetings.
Conduct sanitation audits across all shifts and update the Master Sanitation Program with the Sanitation Supervisor.
Ensure SSOPs exist for all new equipment and manage Level One Plus cleaning schedules.
Coordinate annual chemical training and address sanitation concerns with Supervisors.
Supervise laboratory staff and oversee chemical and microbiological testing.
Maintain calibration, validation, and service schedules for all lab equipment (FOSS, pH meters, water activity meters, etc.).
Establish and maintain testing standards, procedures, and documentation.
Ensure all products meet legislative, customer, and corporate quality standards.
Manage customer complaints from investigation through corrective action.
Maintain Incident, Hold & Release, and supplier complaint systems.
Lead root cause investigations using quality tools and methodologies, implementing and verifying effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to control processes, resolve issues, prevent recurrence, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
Support new product trials, sensory evaluations, shelf‑life studies, and test result reviews.
Maintain and update Quality and Food Safety documents in all customer portals.
Contribute to budgeting, training plans, certification programs (Organic, Gluten-Free, Halal, SQF), and regulatory updates.
Act as “Deputy” for the Primary contact, to work with GFCO (Including certification process) and to the plants manufacturing certified products.
Implement, maintain and improve the “Gluten Program” within the plants and brands.
Monitor the Gluten Program and initiate action to prevent, correct or minimize departures.
Communicate with Pest Control service provider to ensure control and prevent entry of pests into facility and on property.