Director of Quality

Description

The Director of Quality is responsible for overseeing the company’s quality assurance and food safety programs. This leadership role ensures that all products meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and regulatory compliance. The Director will manage a team of quality control professionals, collaborate across departments, and work closely with external stakeholders to ensure adherence to industry standards, regulations, and best practices. In addition, the Director will play a key role in fostering and enhancing a strong food safety culture within the organization.

This individual will have the unique opportunity to leverage their skills, technical expertise, and business acumen while working with a company that lives their culture every day - Miss Nothing, Question Everything and Innovate Daily. If you have a passion for developing and scoping value-driven services that lead to successful customer projects - then we are looking for you!

Reports To

Senior Vice President, Operational Excellence

Essential Accountabilities

The Director of Quality serves as the HACCP Coordinator, SQF Practitioner, and Food Defense Coordinator. This position also represents the company on all regulatory matters.

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of quality management systems (QMS) to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee product quality testing, evaluations, and audits to maintain compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and measure product quality, conducting root cause analysis on quality issues, and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Drive the development and execution of quality policies and procedures in line with industry standards.
• Ensure the organization’s adherence to food safety regulations (e.g., CFIA, Health Canada, FDA, USDA, HACCP, SQF, AIB, GMP, etc.) and maintain necessary certifications (Organic, Gluten Free, FairTrade, Rain Forest Alliance, Dairy License, NHP License, Kosher, etc.).
• Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of food safety programs to minimize risk and ensure a safe product.
• Oversee the maintenance of food safety systems, including training, audits, and the validation of food safety processes.
• Coordinate with external bodies for inspections, certifications, and compliance updates.
• Manage and mentor the quality assurance and food safety team, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and high performance.
• Provide ongoing training and development opportunities for team members to stay current with industry practices and regulatory requirements.
• Develop team KPIs and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Partner with operations, supply chain, and production teams to integrate quality control measures throughout the product lifecycle.
• Work closely with R&D, marketing, and other departments to ensure quality and food safety standards are considered in product development and packaging.
• Collaborate with senior management to ensure alignment between quality and food safety initiatives and overall company objectives.
• Identify, assess, and manage food safety risks, providing strategic recommendations to prevent issues that could affect product quality, safety, or compliance.
• Respond to and manage food safety incidents, including product recalls, customer complaints, and regulatory inspections.
• Conduct internal audits and reviews to proactively identify potential risks in the production process.
• Oversee the preparation of required regulatory reports, ensuring timely submission and compliance.
• Maintain accurate records of audits, inspections, training programs, and corrective actions taken to address issues.
• Stay informed on changes to food safety regulations and industry trends, ensuring the organization remains compliant with evolving standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing product quality and food safety processes.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, methodologies, and systems to improve quality control and safety measures.
  
  

DISCLAIMER: This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.

Decision Making

• Outcome-Focused: The role is output-centered with broad implications, requiring decisions that affect food safety processes, compliance, and overall product quality. The decisions made in this role can have significant impacts on product safety, company reputation, and regulatory compliance. All decisions will be made with the support of the SVP, Operational Excellence.
  
  

Required Key Competencies

• Leadership Experience: Proven track record of leading teams and driving results in a quality assurance and food safety environment.
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Safety, Engineering and/or related fields.
• Management Experience: 10+ years of management experience in Quality Assurance & Food Safety, with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in these areas.
• SQF Expertise: Strong working knowledge of the SQF Code and its requirements, ensuring compliance with industry standards and food safety regulations.
• Sound Decision-Making: Demonstrated ability to make swift, effective, and well-informed business and risk decisions under pressure.
  
  

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s Degree: A Master’s in Food Science or a related field.
• Lead Auditor Certified (e.g., ISO 9001 or ISO 22000)
• Food Defense Certified
• Master’s Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (Proven expertise in process improvement and waste reduction) Certifications:
• HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
• SQF (Safe Quality Food) Certified
• Experienced in using SAP and other ERP systems to track, manage, and report quality and safety data.
• Familiarity with industry tools and technologies used for food safety, traceability, and reporting.
• Work Ethics: Demonstrated commitment to safe work habits and strong work ethics, ensuring that all activities are carried out with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
  
  

Physical Job Requirements

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing this job's duties, the employee is regularly required to use hands to operate on machinery or production lines.
• The employee frequently is required to stand for extended periods, often upwards of 50% of the day.
• The employee is frequently required to walk, balance, stoop, kneel, squat, climb stairs, or bend, often upwards of 50% of the day.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and at times lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.
• This job's specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. (With or without corrective lenses)
  
  

Safety

• Adhere to company safety policies and procedures
• Wear required PPE (personal protective equipment) where needed
• Immediately report any unsafe conditions or other safety-related issues
  
  

Work Environment

While the work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job, they are in no way all-inclusive. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in a manufacturing setting.
• The employee often works at a work bench or on various pieces of equipment.
• The noise level in the work environment is typically minimal.