Supplier Quality & Food Safety Auditor (or Senior-level)

Leprino Foods Company•Denver, CO

25d•Onsite

About The Position

This role is part of the Global Quality team in Denver, focusing on strengthening the safety, consistency, and reliability of all ingredients and packaging materials used by Leprino. The position involves collaborating with Procurement, Operations, Product Development, and Global Quality to evaluate suppliers, manage risks, and ensure compliance with both regulatory and Leprino standards. The individual will be responsible for assessing supplier performance, leading or supporting audits, and working directly with vendors to resolve issues and enhance food safety and quality systems across the company's network.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a closely related field — or equivalent practical experience
2+ years (Auditor-level) to 5+ years (Senior-level) of experience in food manufacturing quality, food safety, or supplier quality
Demonstrated experience conducting supplier or third-party food safety audits and supporting corrective action development
Working knowledge (Auditor-level) to strong working knowledge (Senior-level) of HACCP, GMP, and FSMA Preventive Controls requirements
Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification (or ability to obtain within 6 months)
Familiarity with USDA and FDA regulatory expectations related to ingredients and packaging
Willingness to travel up to 50% for supplier audits, site visits, and collaboration opportunities

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or Chemistry
Experience leading complex supplier audits and driving corrective actions to closure
Experience using SAP and supplier management platforms such as TraceGains
Experience developing or managing ingredient and packaging specifications or supplier quality programs
Experience working cross-functionally to influence supplier performance, vendor selection, or quality decisions

Responsibilities

Lead or support the review and approval of supplier documentation, including third-party audits, allergen assessments, and technical data sheets, ensuring all ingredients and packaging meet regulatory and Leprino requirements
Build and manage supplier relationships to resolve documentation gaps, specification differences, and non-conformances
Conduct or lead supplier audits to assess compliance, identify risk, and drive continuous improvement in food safety and QA systems
Partner with Production, Global Engineering, Procurement, Product Development, and Corporate Quality to evaluate and recommend suppliers for qualification and ongoing approval
Support or lead resolution of ingredient and packaging exceptions, including root cause identification and corrective actions
Maintain supplier approval records and ensure the Approved Supplier List remains accurate and audit-ready
Communicate audit findings, supplier risk, and complaint trends to Purchasing, QE Regional Managers, and GBU teams to support decision-making
Support or lead development and auditing of ingredient and packaging specifications to ensure alignment with regulatory and Leprino standards
Contribute to projects that improve supplier performance, strengthen partnerships, and enhance quality systems across the network
Travel up to 50% to conduct supplier audits, site visits, and support plant or supplier needs