Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance - Poultry
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Working Situation: Onsite
This company is dedicated to promoting and protecting generational family farms by empowering farmers to make their own decisions and own their livestock. They produce 100% organic and humanely raised meat products, ensuring it is better for people, the planet, and animals.
The Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance leads the Quality Assurance teams to ensure all products meet top standards for food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this role oversees plant-level QA Managers, promoting a collaborative approach to achieving excellence in food safety, quality, and operational standards. This position is crucial for aligning company-wide QA strategies with regulatory requirements and customer expectations, while also driving continuous improvement initiatives and fostering a culture of accountability and excellence.
The Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance will be responsible for:
Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of Quality Assurance programs, ensuring compliance with USDA and customer requirements.
Act as the subject matter expert on food safety, regulatory compliance, and quality systems, providing guidance across cross-functional teams.
Provide leadership and direction to Plant QA Managers and the Compliance team, ensuring consistent application of food safety and quality standards across all facilities.
Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness of quality and compliance programs, identifying and driving opportunities for improvement.
Lead the response to customer, regulatory, and third-party audits, ensuring timely and effective resolution of findings and implementation of corrective actions.
Manage compliance with organic, humane, and other certification standards, ensuring alignment with company values and regulatory requirements.
Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, R&D, and other departments to enhance product quality and ensure the hygienic design of facilities and equipment.
Drive the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives related to HACCP, GMPs, and other preventive controls.
The Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance will have the following qualifications:
B.S. in Food Science, Poultry Science, Microbiology, or a related field is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
7 years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or compliance, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership role.
HACCP certification is required; SQF Practitioner or a similar certification is preferred.
Knowledge of BRC or similar certification is highly preferred.
If you are interested in the Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance - Poultry position, apply now!