SUMMARYThe Director of Quality & Food Safety is the senior, on‑site quality leader for a single dairy manufacturing facility, responsible for driving daily execution and long-term performance of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs. This role is highly operational and hands-on, serving as a process authority and technical leader within the plant while actively participating in plant activities and continuous improvement initiatives.The Director partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, R&D, and the Site Lean/Six Sigma Champion to integrate food safety and quality into manufacturing processes, eliminate variation, and strengthen risk-based decision-making. This position leads the site Quality team and ensures the facility consistently produces safe, compliant, and high‑quality dairy products.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES On‑Site Quality & Food Safety LeadershipServe as the primary food safety and quality authority for the plant, providing real-time decision-making support to Operations and Plant LeadershipActively participate in daily plant activities including Gemba walks, production meetings, shift handoffs, changeovers, and troubleshootingDrive a culture of open communication, accountability, and shared ownership of food safety and quality across all departments and shiftsCross‑Functional Communication, Agility & Customer FocusMaintain clear, frequent, and effective communication with Production, Engineering, Supply Chain, R&D, Maintenance, and Customer Service to quickly address quality concerns and operational risksTranslate customer requirements, complaints, and quality expectations into actionable plant-level controls and process improvementsEnable faster, data-driven decision-making by ensuring timely escalation, alignment, and closure of quality and food safety issuesPartner with plant leadership to balance customer responsiveness, operational flexibility, and food safety risk managementQuality Systems & Regulatory ComplianceOwn and administer the site Safe Quality Food (SQF) program, ensuring sustained certification and audit readinessEnsure compliance with FDA, Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), customer standards, and internal requirementsLead regulatory inspections, customer audits, internal audits, and corrective action follow-upOperational Excellence & Continuous ImprovementWork closely with the Site Lean/Six Sigma Champion to reduce process variation, quality defects, and food safety risksParticipate in Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives focused on throughput, quality, and waste reductionServe as a process authority for new equipment, process changes, line modifications, and new product introductionsLead cross-functional root cause analysis and Corrective/Preventive Action (CAPA) activities using structured problem-solving methodologiesSupplier, Material & Process QualityCollaborate with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure raw material quality, supplier compliance, and effective issue resolutionSupport supplier corrective actions and risk assessments as neededCustomer Issues, Risk & Crisis ManagementAct as the site technical lead for customer complaints, quality concerns, and food safety issuesEnsure thorough investigations, root cause identification, and timely, effective corrective actionsSupport product holds, withdrawals, recalls, and crisis response efforts when requiredData, Metrics & Performance MonitoringTrack, analyze, and communicate quality and food safety KPIs to plant leadershipUse Quality Management System (QMS), Laboratory Information Systems (LIMS), and quality data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunitiesPromote transparency and shared understanding of quality performance across departmentsTeam Leadership & Capability DevelopmentLead and develop the site Quality & Food Safety teamEnsure effective onboarding, training, coaching, and performance managementTrain plant personnel on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety expectations, quality standards, and customer requirementsPerform other plant-related responsibilities aligned with business objectivesQUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATIONBachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field7–10 years of progressive experience in food quality and food safety within manufacturing, with direct experience in dairy processing strongly preferred5+ years of on-site quality leadership experience (Manager, Senior Manager, or Plant QA Director equivalent)Required certifications: HACCPSQF PractitionerPreventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI)Strong working knowledge of dairy operations, food microbiology, food pathogens, PMO, CFRs, and FDA regulationsDemonstrated hands-on experience with: Root cause analysis and CAPAProcess validation and change managementGemba-based problem solvingExperience working with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies; collaboration with site CI teams requiredProficiency with LIMS, QMS, and quality data systemsStrong communication skills with the ability to influence operators, supervisors, and plant leadershipAbility to balance strategic thinking with daily operational executionPHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: Required to maneuver plant and warehouse workspaces which involve: Frequently standing, walking, sitting, talking, or hearing, work around loud machinery and moving parts Continually utilize hand and finger dexterity, continually exposed to extreme heat, extreme cold, wet and/or humid conditions (non-weather) Occasionally required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, exposed to outside weather conditions, and push, pull, and lift up to 50 pounds safely The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.