Red Kite Recruiting
Vice President of Quality Assurance
Red Kite Recruiting, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States, 22802
Our client is a vertically integrated poultry company dedicated to sustainable and ethical poultry farming practices. With a strong commitment to animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and local farmer partnerships, they prioritize transparency and traceability in poultry production. Their products often highlight specific farms where chickens are raised, reinforcing their emphasis on responsible farming practices.
The
Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance
will lead the company's strategic direction in food safety, quality control, and regulatory compliance. This executive role is responsible for driving high-level initiatives and setting quality standards across all operational functions, ensuring the company upholds its reputation for premium, ethically sourced poultry products. The successful candidate will collaborate with senior leadership to implement long-term strategies, lead cross-functional teams, and manage the overall FSQA budget. Additionally, this role will be integral in supporting operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and market leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
Executive Leadership:
Provide strategic oversight and vision for the company's FSQA initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate goals in sustainability, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction.
FSQA Strategy Implementation:
Oversee the development and execution of comprehensive food safety, quality assurance, and compliance programs, ensuring adherence to USDA, FSIS, FSMA, and corporate requirements.
Team Leadership & Development:
Lead and mentor the FSQA team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. Provide guidance, training, and support to achieve departmental and company objectives.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams, including Operations, R&D, Sales, and Supply Chain, to address quality concerns and support new product development.
Regulatory & Compliance Management:
Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMPs, sanitation controls, allergen controls, and other preventive safety standards. Drive compliance with regulatory bodies including USDA, FSIS, and BRC requirements.
Audits & Inspections:
Oversee the planning and execution of regular audits and inspections across production processes, ensuring quality control throughout the supply chain, from raw materials to finished products.
Budget & Resource Management:
Take ownership of FSQA budgeting, resource allocation, and staffing, ensuring efficient use of resources while maintaining quality standards.
Customer & Consumer Relations:
Engage proactively with customers and consumers, utilizing feedback for continuous improvement. Lead root cause analysis efforts and drive preventive measures to address any issues or complaints.
Continuous Improvement:
Develop strategies for improving FSQA processes and implement technological advancements to enhance product quality and operational efficiency.
Vendor & Supplier Management:
Work closely with vendors and suppliers to ensure their compliance with the company's quality and safety standards, resolving issues proactively.
Data-Driven Decision Making:
Lead the management of data analysis and reporting to monitor and improve quality metrics. Ensure the FSQA function is informed by accurate and actionable data.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years in leadership roles within FSQA, preferably within the poultry or meat industry.
Proven experience leading large teams, managing multi-million dollar budgets, and driving quality assurance initiatives at an executive level.
Strong knowledge of USDA, FSMA, and BRC standards; HACCP certification preferred.
Experience in a harvest facility and BRC-audited environments highly desired.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead teams, make data-driven decisions, and navigate complex, high-pressure situations.
Target compensation: $175K - $200K plus bonus, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
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The
Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance
will lead the company's strategic direction in food safety, quality control, and regulatory compliance. This executive role is responsible for driving high-level initiatives and setting quality standards across all operational functions, ensuring the company upholds its reputation for premium, ethically sourced poultry products. The successful candidate will collaborate with senior leadership to implement long-term strategies, lead cross-functional teams, and manage the overall FSQA budget. Additionally, this role will be integral in supporting operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and market leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
Executive Leadership:
Provide strategic oversight and vision for the company's FSQA initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate goals in sustainability, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction.
FSQA Strategy Implementation:
Oversee the development and execution of comprehensive food safety, quality assurance, and compliance programs, ensuring adherence to USDA, FSIS, FSMA, and corporate requirements.
Team Leadership & Development:
Lead and mentor the FSQA team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. Provide guidance, training, and support to achieve departmental and company objectives.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams, including Operations, R&D, Sales, and Supply Chain, to address quality concerns and support new product development.
Regulatory & Compliance Management:
Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMPs, sanitation controls, allergen controls, and other preventive safety standards. Drive compliance with regulatory bodies including USDA, FSIS, and BRC requirements.
Audits & Inspections:
Oversee the planning and execution of regular audits and inspections across production processes, ensuring quality control throughout the supply chain, from raw materials to finished products.
Budget & Resource Management:
Take ownership of FSQA budgeting, resource allocation, and staffing, ensuring efficient use of resources while maintaining quality standards.
Customer & Consumer Relations:
Engage proactively with customers and consumers, utilizing feedback for continuous improvement. Lead root cause analysis efforts and drive preventive measures to address any issues or complaints.
Continuous Improvement:
Develop strategies for improving FSQA processes and implement technological advancements to enhance product quality and operational efficiency.
Vendor & Supplier Management:
Work closely with vendors and suppliers to ensure their compliance with the company's quality and safety standards, resolving issues proactively.
Data-Driven Decision Making:
Lead the management of data analysis and reporting to monitor and improve quality metrics. Ensure the FSQA function is informed by accurate and actionable data.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years in leadership roles within FSQA, preferably within the poultry or meat industry.
Proven experience leading large teams, managing multi-million dollar budgets, and driving quality assurance initiatives at an executive level.
Strong knowledge of USDA, FSMA, and BRC standards; HACCP certification preferred.
Experience in a harvest facility and BRC-audited environments highly desired.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead teams, make data-driven decisions, and navigate complex, high-pressure situations.
Target compensation: $175K - $200K plus bonus, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
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