Food Safety and Quality Senior Manager

Food Safety and Quality Senior Manager Adept HR, Inc. - 3.5 Gardena, CA Job Details Full-time $110,000 - $115,000 a year 19 hours ago Benefits Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Paid time off Vision insurance Qualifications Incident investigation techniques for hazard identification Food safety management Defect resolution root cause analysis Quality assurance experience within food and beverage industry Food processing plant experience Team leadership Production deviation management Corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) GMP Manufacturing facility experience Bachelor's degree Food safety sanitizing procedures HACCP Regulatory/legal compliance standards in production Environmental monitoring Quality control experience within food and beverage industry Food safety auditing FDA regulations Senior leadership Failure analysis Full Job Description Position Overview We are seeking a hands-on, high-potential food safety and quality leader to build and strengthen our Food Safety & Quality function. This role is ideal for a strong emerging leader who combines technical food safety expertise with operational leadership. The right candidate understands how to build systems, lead people, drive accountability, and create a culture where food safety and quality are embedded into daily operations. This is not a desk-only quality role. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable in audits, in production meetings, on the plant floor, and in front of customers or regulators. This leader will partner closely with Operations, Production, Maintenance, R D, and Executive Leadership to strengthen systems, improve execution, reduce risk, and support growth. Key Responsibilities Food Safety Systems Leadership Own and continuously improve HACCP, GMP, SSOP, allergen control, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and preventive control programs Maintain and strengthen food safety systems for refrigerated ready-to-eat products Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions related to food safety incidents, shelf life issues, deviations, and customer complaints Ensure strong CCP monitoring, verification, documentation, and execution across all production areas Drive continuous improvement in sanitation and food safety culture Quality Systems Management Lead product quality standards across raw materials, in-process production, and finished goods Strengthen hold/release processes, shelf life validation, product specifications, and quality verification systems Partner with Operations to reduce defects, improve consistency, and minimize waste Establish clear KPIs and dashboards around quality performance Regulatory & Audit Leadership Serve as primary leader for regulatory inspections, customer audits, and third-party audits Lead audit preparation, execution, and corrective action follow-through Ensure compliance with FDA, state regulatory, customer, and certification requirements Maintain audit readiness at all times Leadership & Team Development Lead, coach, and develop the Food Safety & Quality team Build structure, accountability, and high performance within the department Develop training programs for supervisors, leads, and frontline employees Help create a culture where quality and food safety are owned by the entire organization Cross Functional Partnership Partner closely with Operations and Production to solve problems in real time Support R D and commercialization efforts with product risk assessments and process validation Work closely with Maintenance to ensure equipment and facility conditions support compliance and food safety Qualifications Required Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or related field 5+ years of progressive experience in food safety, quality, or regulatory leadership within food manufacturing Experience in refrigerated or ready-to-eat food manufacturing strongly preferred Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, sanitation, allergen controls, environmental monitoring, and FDA compliance Experience leading regulatory inspections, customer audits, or third-party audits Strong root cause analysis and corrective action skills Strong leadership presence and communication skills Preferred PCQI certification HACCP certification SQF, BRC, or other GFSI audit experience Experience with FDA inspections, 483 responses, or regulatory corrective actions Experience in high-mix, fast-paced manufacturing environments What Success Looks Like In the first 12 months, this leader will: Strengthen food safety systems and audit readiness across the facility Improve quality execution and accountability on the production floor Build stronger training, discipline, and ownership across teams Reduce food safety and quality risk through better systems and execution Help elevate Risvold's into a stronger, more disciplined operation Who Will Thrive Here This role is best suited for a leader who: Wants to build, not maintain Is highly accountable and action-oriented Can balance technical rigor with practical execution Is comfortable working in an evolving, fast-moving environment Sees challenge as opportunity This is a rare opportunity to step into a meaningful leadership role and make an immediate impact in a growing food manufacturing business.

Pay:

$110,000.00 - $115,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person