Director of Quality - Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Location: Lexington, KY
A mid-size Food and Beverage Manufacturing company is seeking a seasoned Director of Quality to lead and oversee the quality management processes for our food and beverage manufacturing operations. The Director will be responsible for ensuring the highest standards of product safety, compliance, and quality are consistently met while fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization. This role requires expertise in managing regulatory requirements (HACCP, USDA, FDA, SQF), sanitation practices, internal and external audits, and quality culture development.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and implement the company's Quality Assurance (QA) strategy in alignment with business goals.
Foster a strong quality culture across all levels of the organization.
Ensure compliance with regulatory and certification standards, including FDA, USDA, HACCP, and SQF.
Ensure that all products meet or exceed USDA, FDA, and international food safety and quality regulations.
Oversee the development, implementation, and management of HACCP plans to mitigate food safety risks.
Ensure SQF certification and maintenance of Level 2 or higher compliance.
Design and implement sanitation programs that ensure food safety and regulatory compliance.
Work closely with sanitation teams to continuously improve processes and minimize risks of contamination.
Lead internal and external audits, including USDA, FDA, SQF, and customer audits.
Drive corrective action plans and continuous improvement initiatives based on audit findings.
Oversee the implementation and maintenance of quality management systems (QMS) including data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product quality and operational efficiency.
Manage non-conformance investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive
Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance within food and beverage manufacturing.
Proven experience with FDA, USDA, HACCP, and SQF compliance.
Strong knowledge of GFSI standards (BRC, FSSC 22000, or other equivalents).
Expertise in HACCP principles and implementation.
Thorough knowledge of regulatory compliance (FDA, USDA, etc.).
Experience with sanitation processes and preventive controls.
Proficiency in managing internal and external audits (FDA, USDA, SQF, GFSI).
Familiarity with statistical process control (SPC) and quality management systems (QMS).