What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance position at Gables Search Group?
Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance – Multi-Site Food Production
As the company scales operations and prepares to launch additional manufacturing sites, we’re adding a new leadership role focused on enhancing quality systems, food safety, and cross-functional accountability. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in building processes, coaching teams, and rolling up their sleeves to lead from the floor. If you have the expertise and vision to bring structure and consistency across facilities, we’d love to connect.
Location: Pleasant Grove, UT – Preference for local candidates; relocation support considered case-by-case
Responsibilities
As the company scales operations and prepares to launch additional manufacturing sites, we’re adding a new leadership role focused on enhancing quality systems, food safety, and cross-functional accountability. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in building processes, coaching teams, and rolling up their sleeves to lead from the floor. If you have the expertise and vision to bring structure and consistency across facilities, we’d love to connect.
Location: Pleasant Grove, UT – Preference for local candidates; relocation support considered case-by-case
Responsibilities
- Lead quality and food safety programs across multiple plants, ensuring consistency and compliance
- Provide direction and coaching to an early-career quality manager while laying the foundation for long-term team development
- Refine and expand written procedures, policies, and documentation to align with regulatory and customer expectations
- Oversee sanitation processes, production checks, and product hold/release decisions
- Analyze performance metrics, identify gaps, and work with teams to improve quality outcomes
- Align closely with plant operations leaders to embed quality practices into daily routines
- Take ownership of customer-facing quality concerns and establish preventative measures
- Manage systems for vendor approval, environmental monitoring, pest control, and internal audits
- Maintain alignment with current food safety requirements including HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, and third-party audits
- Act as the final authority on product disposition decisions, with a no-compromise stance on quality
- Assist in setting up quality programs and procedures in new or expanding facilities
- Bachelor's degree in food science, microbiology, engineering, or another relevant discipline
- 10 years in quality or food safety leadership roles within a food manufacturing setting
- Familiarity with co-manufacturing partnerships and working with major retail customers
- Track record of building or enhancing quality systems in growing production environments
- Experience managing food safety certification programs such as SQF or BRC
- Ability to develop teams and lead across multiple departments and locations
- Proficient in sanitation, raw material verification, and in-process inspection protocols
- Effective communicator who leads with clarity, consistency, and follow-through
- ERP and quality data system experience, along with strong Excel skills
