QA Manager

Mizkan America, Inc.

Job Description

Location: Lyndonville, NY

Job Title: Quality Manager
Department: Quality
Reports To: Director / Associate Director Manufacturing Quality
FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Range- $84,000 – $109,100

Position Summary

The Quality Manager is responsible for leading the site Quality and Food Safety programs and ensuring compliance with all customer, corporate, regulatory, and GFSI requirements. The position serves as a member of the site leadership team and provides strategic and operational leadership for Quality Systems, Food Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Supplier Quality, Laboratory Operations, and Continuous Improvement activities.

The Quality Manager develops and maintains an effective Quality Management System (QMS), drives a culture of food safety and quality excellence, supports customer and regulatory inspections, and partners with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, R&D, and Procurement to ensure safe, legal, and high-quality products.

This role also supports quality initiatives across affiliated operations as needed and develops organizational capability through coaching, training, and succession planning of quality personnel.

Essential Responsibilities

Quality Systems Leadership

• Lead the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the site's Quality Management System.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, customer requirements, FDA regulations, FSMA requirements, HACCP principles, and applicable certification standards.
• Maintain document control, change management, deviation management, corrective and preventive action (CAPA), supplier approval, calibration, and verification programs.
• Lead Management Review activities and communicate Quality System performance to senior leadership.

Food Safety & GFSI Program Leadership

• Serve as the site Food Safety Team Leader.
• Maintain and continuously improve HACCP, Preventive Controls, GMP, sanitation, allergen management, and food defense programs.
• Lead preparation, execution, and follow-up activities for BRCGS and other GFSI certification audits.
• Drive food safety culture initiatives and employee engagement activities that reinforce quality ownership throughout the organization.
• Ensure timely closure of audit findings and implementation of sustainable corrective actions.

Regulatory & Customer Compliance

• Serve as primary quality representative during FDA, state regulatory, customer, and third-party audits.
• Manage responses to regulatory observations, customer complaints, audit findings, and compliance issues.
• Lead product hold, disposition, recall, mock recall, and traceability activities.
• Ensure products meet all applicable legal, regulatory, labeling, and specification requirements.

Quality Operations & Laboratory Management

• Lead daily quality operations including incoming materials, in-process monitoring, finished product release, environmental monitoring, and laboratory activities.
• Ensure testing programs are scientifically sound, documented, and executed according to approved procedures.
• Manage laboratory resources, priorities, equipment calibration, and method verification activities.
• Ensure product release decisions are supported by compliant testing and appropriate technical justification.

Continuous Improvement & Data Analytics

• Establish, monitor, and report Quality KPIs and performance metrics.
• Analyze quality trends, complaints, consumer feedback, audit findings, nonconformances, and process performance data.
• Lead root cause investigations and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Partner with Operations to reduce defects, improve process capability, and strengthen preventive controls.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Quality personnel to achieve department and organizational objectives.
• Build succession plans and developmental roadmaps for quality team members.
• Conduct training and competency assessments to ensure regulatory and certification requirements are met.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Serve as an active member of the site leadership team.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or related scientific discipline preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of progressive Quality Assurance leadership experience within food manufacturing.
• Experience managing Quality Systems within GFSI-certified facilities.
• Demonstrated experience leading customer, regulatory, and certification audits.
• Experience supervising quality professionals and laboratory operations.
• Experience with supplier quality management and root cause analysis methodologies.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of:
• BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000, or equivalent GFSI standards
• HACCP and Preventive Controls
• FSMA and FDA regulations
• GMPs and sanitation programs
• Statistical analysis and quality improvement methodologies
• CAPA, change control, and risk assessment processes
• Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and conflict resolution skills.
• Proven ability to analyze data, identify trends, and drive sustainable improvements.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and lead through organizational change.

Preferred Certifications

• HACCP Certification
• PCQI Certification
• ASQ Certifications (CQM, CQA, CQE, or equivalent)
• Lead Auditor Certification

Travel: Limited travel may be required as part of bulk plant support, 10% of working time.

#LI-MK1