Regional Quality Assurance Manager

Job Description

Job purpose: The Regional Quality Director will lead and elevate food safety and quality programs across multisite low-acid aseptic bottling and PMO regulated dairy manufacturing sites. This role is critical in establishing robust processes, systems, and teams that support new production lines, ensuring strategic alignment with enterprise quality standards and objectives. Through effective quality system development and implementation, this role supports the supply chain and business goals, fostering continuous improvement and career growth within quality teams while driving progress across key performance indicators.

Job scope: This role oversees a regional, multisite scope, encompassing the management of food safety and quality programs to ensure regulatory compliance and robust quality testing systems. The Regional Quality Director will support and develop plant quality personnel, offering training and growth opportunities, while providing subject matter expertise for operational and regulatory compliance. This role will liaise with regulatory bodies, third-party auditors, third-party logistics and distribution teams, and key Coca-Cola stakeholders as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Quality Management System
• Develop and lead regional food safety, quality, and compliance programs to foster a proactive quality culture across new and existing production lines.
• Ensure an efficient hold and release process aligns with supply chain requirements.
• Oversee site lab operations and product testing programs to enhance food safety, specification adherence, and efficiency, reducing holds to support first-time-right metrics.
• Define and manage QA department budgets, providing fiscal direction across sites.
• Provide leadership, goal setting, and monitor performance of site quality managers to ensure business growth strategies are achieved.

• Regulatory Compliance
• Lead and support quality system audits, ensure implementation of corrective actions as necessary to maintain compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Liaison with enterprise quality systems manager to ensure compliance with regulatory permitting and licensing requirements.
• Support site regulatory inspection, system testing, and finished good testing programs.
• Provide SME regulatory support for operations and supply chain functions.

• Quality Culture
• Drive quality culture through personnel training on quality systems, methodologies, and management best practices.
• Design and implement training programs to elevate site quality capabilities.
• Support site QSE initiatives and liaison with key stakeholders.

• Consumer Satisfaction
• Closely monitor and report consumer insight trends and provide investigative support to resolve consumer concerns.

• Site Audits & Certification
• Support and partner with process authority and enterprise aseptic technical managers to conduct line validations, support site startup, line extensions, and conduct investigation of product quality failures.
• Support development, implementation, and monitoring of HACCP, HARPC, GMP, MSS, GFSI and ISO programs.

• KPI & Reporting
• Lead KPI improvement initiatives, focusing on quality performance across sites.
• Prepare and deliver performance reports to executive and senior leadership, highlighting regional site achievements against established KPIs.

skills/qualifications required:

• Bachelor's degree in Dairy, Food Science, Microbiology, or a related discipline required, with a strong working knowledge of the science of low acid aseptic products
• 10 years of experience that is directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified in a dairy extended shelf life (ESL) or low acid aseptic consumer package environment; able to apply LEAN thinking to QA in a factory environment
• Excellent knowledge of aseptic and ESL processing and filling requirements
• SME in FDA, PMO and GFSI requirements for ESL and aseptic beverages with a proven track record of working proactively with process authorities and regulatory agencies
• Either currently certified or actively working to achieve certification in: GFSI (FSSC 22000). HACCP, GMP, PCQI/FSMA, Internal Audit, and Better Process Control School
• A very strong proponent of QA process design and the utilization of LIMS, ERP, QA software to drive compliance and data availability
• Excellent communication – verbal and written
• Resourceful, well organized, highly dependable, efficient and detail orientated
• Confident, assertive and rational using science and data to inform and communicate decision making
• Ability to take initiative, and work autonomously
• Ability to handle ambiguity and work in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Training in internal and external auditing to ISO 9001 preferred
• Skilled in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Office Visio
• Travel 30% annually, domestic and international

position location: Webster, NY; Coopersville, MI; Chicago, IL

reports to: Senior Quality Director

exempt/nonexempt: Exempt