Director of Food Safety

Job Details

Lead development and expansion of a multi-state, cross-functional Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory organization

Salary: $150,000 - $200,000 per year

Relocation assistance available!

A bit about us

We are committed to producing fresh, local dairy products while advancing sustainable practices, strengthening our teams, and enhancing the communities we serve. This role plays a vital part in elevating our food safety and quality programs and offers a tremendous opportunity to influence multi‑site operations, develop talent, and contribute directly to our continued growth and success.

Why join us?

• The ability to join a growing well known organization and make a big impact to our quality department
• Competitive Compensation with opportunity for advancements
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance
• 401(k) with Employer Match
• Generous PTO & Paid Holidays
• Strong Mission & Culture: Work with a farmer-owned cooperative built on integrity and sustainability
• Impactful Leadership Role: Oversee FSQA across multiple consumer packaging plants
• Professional Growth: Lead, train, and develop site Quality Managers and teams
• Travel & Visibility: Multi-site leadership with significant cross-functional influence
• Stability: Join a century-old organization with a strong reputation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biology, or related field or 15+ years of experience in food manufacturing/processing with Quality Assurance responsibilities.
• Minimum 10+ years in food safety, quality assurance, or regulatory compliance
• Experience with dairy manufacturing and lab procedures (must have)
• Strong background in regulatory compliance including USDA, FDA, CFR, PMO, FSMA.
• Experience managing or implementing GFSI, SQF, and 3rd‑party audit schemes.
• Required Certifications: SQF Practitioner, HACCP, FSMA/PCQI.
• Experience developing and overseeing Quality Management Systems (QMS).
• Proven ability to lead multi-site quality teams and drive accountability.
• Ability to conduct detailed hazard evaluations, preventive controls, and verification procedures.
• Strong vendor management and supplier audit experience.
• Must be able to travel 50% or more

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee overall quality and regulatory compliance for all consumer packaging plants.
• Directly supervise site Quality Managers through site leadership teams.
• Maintain, improve, and develop Food Safety Plans including hazard analysis, preventive controls, and FSMA compliance.
• Lead enforcement and oversight of GMP and cGMP requirements.
• Serve as division subject matter expert on FDA, USDA, PMO, CFR, and FSMA regulations.
• Ensure division is audit‑ready; co‑host regulatory inspections when needed.
• Serve as multi‑site SQF Practitioner, developing and validating SQF procedures and policies.
• Standardize and simplify audit processes across the division.
• Coordinate regulatory, customer, and third‑party audits.
• Maintain vendor management program including supplier audits and material quality review.
• Work with R&D and senior management on new product formulations and label compliance.
• Implement and maintain enterprise QMS using DSI/SAP.
• Develop FSQA training programs and manage annual requirements via HR/Alchemy platform.
• Conduct vendor performance monitoring and inspection readiness activities.
• Interface with corporate leaders to align quality and compliance objectives.
• Provide expert support to resolve complex food safety and quality issues.
• Track, investigate, and trend customer complaints with root cause analysis.
• Train, guide, and develop local Quality Teams and foster career growth.
• Maintain accurate and thorough documentation.
• Participate in monthly plant review meetings to assess performance metrics and drive continuous improvement.