Quality Assurance Manager Elgin, IL Description National contract packaging company who lives and breathes a culture of daily innovation, excitement, sense of urgency and passion for being multiple steps above the rest is seeking aQuality Assurance Managerwith at least 5+ years’ experience in a similar industry. Our organization maintains high expectations for all employees and that is especially true for Quality Managers. The Quality Manager is a critical factor in our success. They bridge the gap between corporate and local teams, aligning expectations and ensuring achievement of facility goals. They should always be a culture warrior and constantly promote the culture mentality through leading by example in their facilities and community. It is the Quality Manager’s responsibility to meet the established expectations and tasks set forth by senior Quality Leadership and local facility General Manager for the Elgin, IL facility. An overall summary of these can be found below.This is not an all-inclusive list of tasks to be completed. It is a list of activities proven to make a quality department successful and are therefore required responsibilities for the Quality Manager. Additional tasks may be assigned at any time by their supervisor(s). REPORTS TO: Director of Quality “Dotted line” to facility General Manager Requirements Position Summary: The Quality Assurance (QA) Manager will be responsible for overseeing and managing the quality control and food safety systems within the organization to ensure that all products meet the required food safety, quality, and regulatory standards. This role will involve leading a quality and food safety team, managing audits and certifications, ensuring compliance with internal and external standards, and driving continuous improvement across the production process. Responsibilities: · Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive quality assurance programs to ensure food safety and regulatory compliance (including SQF, HACCP, GMP, and FSMA). · Establish, update, and enforce policies and procedures to meet federal, state, and local regulations (FDA, USDA, and other applicable food safety laws), industry standards, and customer requirements. · Lead internal and external audits, including third-party certification audits (SQF), customer audits, and regulatory inspections. · Ensure the facility is consistently audit-ready by monitoring programs, records, and floor operations. · Manage and ensure timely completion of corrective and preventive actions from audit findings. · Investigate quality and food safety related issues, conduct root cause analysis, and develop corrective and preventive actions. · Lead initiatives for continuous improvement in product quality, efficiency, and food safety, using data analysis, customer feedback, and internal performance metrics. · Supervise, train, and mentor a team of QA professionals. Ensure the team is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their roles effectively and remain compliant with food safety and quality standards. Conduct performance evaluations, set team objectives, and support career development. · Collaborate with cross-functional teams on new project launches, ensuring all food safety and quality requirements are met. · Perform all other duties as assigned. Qualifications: · Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Technology or Food Science preferred. · Minimum 5 years of experience in quality and food safety, including 2+ years in a leadership role within a food manufacturing environment. · Deep understanding of food safety regulations, GMP, HACCP, and SQF standards. Familiarity with FDA, USDA, and other relevant regulatory bodies. · Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills. Ability to work cross-functionally, manage projects, and lead a team to drive continuous improvement. · Previous experience with GFSI (SQF) audits. · Certified in HACCP, PCQI, and SQF Practitioner. 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. Salary Description $90,000 - $110,000