SQA Manager (Direct Material & Release), North America

Oatly AB•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

This role will be responsible for ensuring food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance of direct materials used in Oatly products in North America. This role manages supplier quality and food safety for direct materials and serves as release authority, ensuring products produced at Co Manufacturers are risk assessed, approved, released, or blocked in accordance with Oatly requirements, GFSI standards (BRCGS/SQF/ISO 22000), and FDA/FSMA Regulatory requirements.

Requirements

5+ years in food safety and quality roles within the food industry
Bachelor’s degree or higher in a food-related discipline such as Food Science, Microbiology, Biological Science, Chemistry, or Food Safety Management
HACCP certification and FSMA PCQI certification required
Supplier quality management and audit experience
Experience with ERP systems and material release/block processes
Cross-functional experience within manufacturing or supply chain environments
Strong knowledge of food safety, quality systems, and regulations
Analytical, structured, and risk-based decision-making
Clear communication and stakeholder management skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Familiarity with ERP systems (preferably D365)
Knowledge of product lifecycle management, document and deviation management systems
Fluent in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams)
Computer skills consistent with job functions

Nice To Haves

GFSI auditor training (BRCGS, SQF, or FSSC 22000) is preferred
Continuous improvement or project management training is a plus

Responsibilities

Approve and manage direct material suppliers from a quality and food safety perspective in line with applicable regulatory and Oatly requirements
Ensure supplier compliance with Oatly standards, GFSI schemes, and regulatory requirements
Conduct supplier risk assessments, including HACCP and food safety plan reviews
Own supplier audits, deviation management, and CAPA follow-up
Drive supplier performance through KPIs and supplier development plans, in line with global strategy
Act as SQA release authority for externally produced products
Review and approve analytical results and certificates of analysis (CoAs)
Decide on block, release, or rejection of materials in ERP systems
Ensure accurate track & trace and material status in warehouses
Support scrapping, rework, and disposition activities
Lead food safety and quality investigations related to direct materials
Coordinate root cause analysis and corrective actions with direct material suppliers handled by Oatly
Support deviations, complaints, and regulatory investigations
Provide risk-based recommendations during supply disruptions
Work closely with Q&RA team, Procurement, Operations, Logistics, Innovation, and Site QA teams
Support product development and specification changes with material risk input
Partner with co-manufacturers and warehouses on quality and release topics
Authority to block, release products produced by external co-manufacturers
Authorized to approve and recommend the disqualification of suppliers based on quality or food safety risks, in consultation with the Global Director SQA
Escalate and halt material use and product release when a food safety risk is identified