Job Title: FSQA ManagerJob Description
The FSQA Manager leads food safety, quality assurance, and sanitation programs at a high-volume food manufacturing site. This role oversees FSQA Supervisors and their teams, owns the Food Safety Plan, and ensures compliance with corporate, SQF, regulatory, and customer requirements. As a key member of the site management team, the FSQA Manager partners closely with operations and other departments to drive food safety, quality, and continuous improvement through training, audits, data-driven decision-making, and robust CAPA programs.
Responsibilities
- Lead and develop FSQA Supervisors and their FSQA and Sanitation teams, providing clear direction, coaching, and support across a 24/7 operation.
- Follow and enforce all Safety, Allergen Control, Food Safety & Sanitation, Food Defense, and SQF policies and procedures across all departments.
- Own and maintain the Food Safety Plan, ensuring it remains compliant, current, and aligned with day-to-day operational execution.
- Verify HACCP and preventive controls, including review of monitoring records, validation activities, and annual reanalysis of the Food Safety Plan.
- Design, deliver, and maintain SOP and FSQA training programs for all departments to support the Food Safety Plan and regulatory compliance.
- Lead the FSQA team and collaborate cross-functionally with department managers to resolve issues, support investigations, and improve processes.
- Provide technical leadership by tracking food safety and quality KPIs, analyzing trends, and using data to drive compliance and continuous improvement.
- Develop and implement food safety protocols and monitoring tasks, leveraging digital tools and technology solutions where possible.
- Plan and conduct internal food safety audits and manage third-party inspections and audits, including FDA, County, City, Organic, SQF, and customer audits.
- Serve as the sites backup SQF Practitioner, supporting certification requirements and audit readiness.
- Oversee the sanitation program through FSQA Supervisors and verify sanitation effectiveness, ensuring the Master Cleaning Schedule and CIP program remain current and effective.
- Manage the Environmental Monitoring Program, including pathogen swabbing, trend analysis, and implementation of corrective actions for positive results.
- Support company growth as part of the management team by guiding equipment and purchasing decisions to ensure they uphold food safety and quality standards.
- Manage customer compliance requirements and communications related to food safety, quality, and audits.
- Establish, own, and sustain CAPA programs, including root cause analysis, implementation of corrective and preventive measures, and effectiveness verification.
- Maintain product traceability and recall readiness, including conducting mock recalls and supporting product holds and withdrawals when necessary.
- Actively work to reduce internal incidents toward a target of less than 3%, reduce customer complaints, and drive environmental monitoring successes.
- Collaborate with departments during investigations, cross functional boundaries when necessary to improve situations, and support an open-door culture.
- Apply continuous improvement methods to troubleshoot issues, dissect processes, think critically and creatively, and proactively execute decisions.
- Perform other related duties as assigned to support food safety, quality, and operational excellence.
Essential Skills
- Proven experience in a manager role for at least one year or in a supervisor role for 45 years in quality, food safety, or sanitation.
- Demonstrated leadership experience overseeing a team of approximately 510 technicians or similar-sized groups.
- Hands-on management style with willingness to work on the floor and engage directly with processes, equipment, and personnel.
- Strong experience in sanitation programs within a manufacturing environment, including verification of sanitation effectiveness.
- HACCP certification, with the ability to verify and maintain HACCP plans and preventive controls.
- PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification already obtained.
- Experience owning and sustaining CAPA programs, including corrective and preventive actions and follow-up on effectiveness.
- Background in FSQA, quality assurance, audits, and CAPA in a regulated manufacturing environment.
- Ability to manage and interpret food safety and quality KPIs, perform trend analysis, and use data to drive improvements.
- Experience with internal audits and third-party audits such as FDA, local regulatory agencies, Organic, SQF, or similar.
- Comfort working in fast-paced, high-volume operations and adapting quickly to changing priorities.
- Strong critical thinking skills, with the ability to troubleshoot issues, dissect processes, and think outside the box.
- Proactive mindset with a strong sense of ownership, initiative, and follow-through.
- Effective cross-functional collaboration skills, including working with operations, sanitation, and other departments during investigations.
- Ability to communicate clearly and confidently across all levels of the organization and support an open-door culture.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience in any GFSI-regulated environment, including SQF or BRC audit backgrounds.
- Industry experience in food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, beverage, flavors, or ingredients, where QA concepts translate well.
- Preference for candidates with primary experience in production environments rather than co-packers or plastic/packaging material environments due to differing regulations.
- Science-related degree is preferred, especially for candidates with more limited work or leadership experience, as education can offset lighter supervisory Background.
- Experience managing environmental monitoring programs, including pathogen swabbing, data trending, and corrective actions.
- Familiarity with digital tools and technology solutions used to support food safety protocols and monitoring tasks.
- Experience serving as or supporting an SQF Practitioner role is a plus.
- Demonstrated success in reducing internal incidents, lowering customer complaints, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
- Comfort guiding equipment and purchasing decisions from a food safety and quality perspective.
- Ability to plan and execute training and onboarding programs, helping new team members gain confidence within the first month.
Work Environment
This role is based in a food manufacturing facility that operates on a 24/7 schedule, with production ramping up across multiple lines. Weekend capacity is currently slower, and the site is gradually increasing throughput by bringing additional lines into simultaneous operation. The FSQA Manager typically works Monday through Friday, starting between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and working approximately eight hours from the start time, with weekends and holidays worked as needed based on operational requirements and managerial effectiveness. The FSQA Manager oversees sanitation and QA teams that provide 24/7 coverage, including approximately six technicians and three leads in QA, with a similar pattern for sanitation and a minimum of three supervisors. There is potential to add a sanitation supervisor in the future. The FSQA Manager visits third shift on a regular basis, typically choosing to go on-site about two times per month to maintain visibility and support overnight operations. New hires follow an onboarding and training plan of about three weeks to one month, with the expectation that they will not know everything within the first month but will have the confidence to perform core tasks independently. The environment is fast-paced, hands-on, and collaborative, with an open-door culture that encourages cross-department communication, continuous improvement, and active involvement in day-to-day production activities.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Ontario, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $105000.00 - $130000.00/yr.
Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.
Medical, Vision, and Dental PPO coverage only. Up to 4% 401(k) company matching contribution. Company-paid life insurance. Two weeks of vacation. Sick pay. 7 paid holidays. E-Verify Compliant EOE (Equal Opportunity Employer) Benefits: 401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Ontario, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 11, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Ontario,CA.
About Actalent
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