Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Compensation: $110,000–$135,000 base salary
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
GPAC is partnering with an established, growing food and pet food manufacturer seeking a strategic Senior Manager of Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) to lead enterprise-wide food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
Reporting to the VP of Operations, this high-impact leadership role will shape FSQA strategy, build and develop an integrated quality organization, and drive consistent standards across company facilities, co-manufacturers, contract warehouses, and supplier partners.
This is an opportunity for an experienced FSQA leader to influence business strategy, strengthen food safety systems, develop high-performing teams, and support continued organizational growth.
Lead, develop, and strengthen corporate and site-level FSQA teams, establishing accountability and consistent performance standards.
Own enterprise-wide food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance strategies.
Develop and maintain systems aligned with GFSI, FSMA, FDA, customer, and applicable regulatory requirements.
Lead customer, certification, and regulatory audits, inspections, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Oversee HACCP programs, preventive controls, GMPs, sanitation, supplier quality, traceability, and recall readiness.
Ensure accurate labeling and compliance with FDA, AAFCO, APHIS, and applicable import/export requirements.
Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, R&D, and executive leadership to integrate quality and food safety into business decisions.
Evaluate and onboard co-manufacturers, contract warehouses, and other external partners to ensure compliance with company standards.
Respond to critical food safety and quality issues, providing leadership, risk assessment, and effective resolution.
Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Animal Science, Biology, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
10+ years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or regulatory compliance within food manufacturing, pet food, animal nutrition, ingredients, or a related industry.
5+ years of leadership experience managing teams and driving accountability across departments or multiple locations.
Demonstrated experience leading GFSI certifications, regulatory inspections, customer audits, and corrective action programs.
Strong knowledge of FDA regulations, FSMA, HACCP, preventive controls, GMPs, supplier controls, sanitation, traceability, and recalls.
Familiarity with AAFCO labeling and import/export compliance requirements.
Multi-site manufacturing, co-manufacturer, contract warehouse, or supplier quality experience preferred.
Willingness to travel up to 30% and respond to critical issues outside normal business hours as needed.
Candidates should possess the following certifications or be able to obtain them:
SQF Practitioner or equivalent GFSI qualification
Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI)
HACCP certification
Internal Auditor certification
Advanced SQF Practitioner or comparable GFSI training
Base salary: $110,000–$135,000
Comprehensive benefits package with a strong emphasis on healthcare benefits
401(k) with profit sharing
Long-term career growth and leadership development opportunities
This is more than a plant-level quality role. It offers the opportunity to establish enterprise-wide FSQA strategy, build a stronger organization, influence executive-level decisions, and make a measurable impact on food safety, product quality, and business performance across a growing manufacturing operation.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.
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