Senior Manager, Quality

Lead implementation and execution of Quality and Food Safety programs across assigned manufacturing and co-manufacturing locations. Ensure compliance with company policies, FDA regulations, FSMA requirements, GMPs, HACCP programs, GFSI standards, and customer requirements. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on defect and waste reduction, compliance, consumer satisfaction, and operational excellence. Lead quality incident management, root cause analysis, corrective actions, audits, regulatory inspections, and consumer complaint investigations. Conduct risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to protect consumers, brands, and business performance. Coach, mentor, and develop site quality leaders and technical professionals. Build organizational capability through training, development planning, and succession management. Lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders without direct authority. Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, continuous improvement, and consumer focus. Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on quality, food safety, compliance, and business risk matters. Required Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Engineering, Biology, Nutrition, or a related technical discipline. Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in Quality, Food Safety, Manufacturing, Technical Services, Commercialization, or Supply Chain roles. Experience supporting multiple manufacturing facilities and/or contract manufacturing partners. Demonstrated knowledge of Quality Systems, Food Safety programs, regulatory compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement principles. Strong project management, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills. Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing organizational change. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Beverage manufacturing experience. Experience managing co-manufacturers, contract manufacturers, or supplier quality programs. Experience supporting commercialization and new product introductions. Lean Six Sigma certification. Experience utilizing enterprise quality management systems and digital quality tools. Experience supporting NSF-certified manufacturing operations and certification programs. Experience managing dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals, functional ingredients, and wellness products. Experience supporting product claims review, claims substantiation, and label compliance programs. Experience with ingredient qualification, supplier verification, and regulatory compliance for nutritional products. Experience supporting dairy, protein, sports nutrition, meal replacement, and functional beverage categories. Experience managing quality systems for powder manufacturing, dry blending, and nutritional powder operations. Beverage Technologies Hot Fill Aseptic Processing Tunnel Pasteurization Retort Processing Carbonated Beverages Juice and Functional Beverages Ability to travel approximately 50%-70% within the US Travel includes manufacturing facilities, co-manufacturing partners, supplier sites, audits, assessments, onboarding activities, commercialization projects, commissioning support, and business meetings. Must be available to support urgent business needs including quality incidents, investigations, startup activities, and regulatory events when necessary. Successful candidates will demonstrate: Strong people leadership and talent development capabilities. Strategic thinking and business acumen. Excellent communication and executive presence. Ability to influence through collaboration and partnership. Strong risk assessment and decision-making skills. Consumer-first and quality-first mindset. Ability to lead organizational change and continuous improvement initiatives. Technical credibility across food, beverage, nutritional, supplement, dairy, protein, and co-manufacturing environments. Proven capability to build teams, develop talent, and drive a culture of accountability and operational excellence Coordinate formula transfers, process validation, quality requirements, specifications, and documentation. Support supplier qualification, ingredient approval, packaging qualification, and quality system verification activities. Support new product launches, formula changes, packaging changes, supplier transitions, and business growth initiatives. Coordinate startup trials, commissioning activities, and first-production evaluations. Provide technical expertise during troubleshooting, process optimization, and manufacturing improvement initiatives. Support implementation of network quality strategies and digital transformation initiatives. FSMA HACCP GMP GFSI Programs NSF Certification Programs Supplier Quality Systems CAPA/RCCA Programs Quality Management Systems (QMS)