Quality Manager-Food & Beverage Manufacturing

Compensation: $130000$140000 base 15% bonus
Relocation Assistance: Strong relocation package available
Employment Type: Full-Time

Our client a well-established food and beverage manufacturer is seeking an experienced Quality Manager to lead the plants Quality function.

This position has responsibility for product and packaging quality food safety regulatory compliance laboratory operations sanitation and Quality/Food Safety Management Systems. The Quality Manager will lead the sites Quality team and work closely with plant leadership to improve quality food safety operational performance and cost.

Candidates must have Quality leadership experience within beverage or liquid-food manufacturing.

Relevant environments may include:

• Beverage and bottling operations
• Hot-fill or cold-fill processing
• Juice and other liquid-food production
• Sauces and condiments such as ketchup and mustard
• Cooking or edible oils
• Other high-volume liquid-food manufacturing

Candidates whose experience is exclusively outside beverage or liquid-food manufacturing are unlikely to be a fit for this position.

• Lead the plant Quality Department and drive performance against quality food safety and continuous improvement KPIs.
• Serve as the sites SQF Practitioner and oversee SQF systems Food Safety Fundamentals HACCP programs and Food Safety and Quality Plans.
• Maintain compliance with GFSI FDA CFIA GMP customer corporate OSHA and environmental requirements.
• Ensure raw materials packaging materials in-process products and finished goods meet established specifications.
• Oversee plant Quality activities including inspections laboratory and microbiological testing sanitation water treatment and syrup blending.
• Manage laboratory resources analytical equipment testing procedures and Quality data.
• Lead internal audits and support external regulatory customer and certification audits.
• Develop and maintain Quality SOPs work instructions controlled documents and food safety records.
• Lead investigations into non-conformances and drive root cause analysis corrective actions and preventive actions (CAPA) through completion.
• Ensure plant employees receive appropriate food safety and Quality training.
• Hire onboard coach evaluate and develop Quality team members.
• Manage Quality Department labor waste and other fixed and variable costs.
• Prepare capital requests and manage approved Quality-related projects.
• Support new product launches process validations waste-reduction initiatives and continuous improvement projects.
• Build a strong culture of quality food safety accountability and employee engagement.

• Bachelors degree in Food Science Quality Manufacturing or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of direct Quality management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Quality leadership experience in beverage or liquid-food manufacturing is required.
• Experience leading Quality personnel and managing departmental performance.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP GMP GFSI FDA requirements food safety food defense and Quality Management Systems.
• SQF Practitioner certification or significant SQF system experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with audits root cause analysis CAPA sanitation laboratory/testing activities and continuous improvement.
• Strong analytical leadership organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyze Quality data using statistical methods and identify trends.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel Word and PowerPoint; experience with SAP and laboratory data systems is beneficial.

The anticipated base salary range is $130000$140000 plus a 15% annual bonus opportunity.

Candidates slightly above the stated base range may still be considered based on experience.

A strong relocation package is available for qualified candidates.

This is a plant-based Quality leadership position in a fast-paced food and beverage manufacturing environment. The schedule may vary based on production requirements and can occasionally include evenings weekends overnight coverage or overtime.

Production areas include moving equipment and varying temperatures and require appropriate PPE. Travel is minimal.

$130000$140000 base salary 15% annual bonus