Director of Quality Assurance

Who we are

Skjodt–Barrett Foods is a rapidly growing leader in the North American food industry, specializing in custom-developed food solutions for top retail and food service providers worldwide. Our products, known for their essential nutrition and delightful flavours, are enjoyed in homes and restaurants, supporting many of the daily brands consumers trust.

As a dynamic, fast-paced, and internationally oriented company, we embrace continual challenges and opportunities for innovation. We are looking for smart, versatile individuals to join our team and contribute to our ongoing growth and success.

Who we need

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, we have an opportunity for a Director of Quality Assurance at our Ontario plant. This is a leadership role, and you will take ownership of end-to-end food safety and product quality, ensuring that our food manufacturing facilities maintain the highest standards. You will oversee all aspects of quality assurance, at our plants in Ontario and Indiana, including product testing, quality control processes, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives. From training and education to system and process deployment, you will foster a culture of accountability for quality within all teams at the plant, working towards our cohesive "One Plant" approach.

Who you are

You are a Director of QA or a QA Manager at a large facility with exposure to the food and beverage industry. A thought leader and continuous improvement champion, you thrive in an ambiguous environment. You are guided by the pursuit of perfection on the plant floor at every stage of production. You believe that quality is everyone's responsibility, and you have successfully built processes and rolled out quality programs, creating engagement to ensure the highest standards are met. Excited to do it again, you bring lessons learned and extensive insights to develop a set of standards for our "One Plant" design.

What's in it for you

Autonomy and influence. You will play a key role in growing our position as a leading manufacturer of complex food ingredients and products for globally recognized brands. You will be empowered to form, coach and develop a team of effective leaders, who in turn will engage their teams to embrace quality assurance as a guiding principle for their daily work.

Impact. You will be part of the operations leadership team, leveraging the expertise of the Plant Managers, the Head of Engineering, and Continuous Improvement to promote quality assurance as a cultural pillar within the organization. You will implement strategic plans and systems, increase knowledge sharing and manage changes. You will positively impact our efficiency and productivity by optimizing our decision-making and control practices into a united, responsive, and centralized process.

Career development. At SB Foods, we value the drive to bring your ideas to life and the resilience to be accountable for your actions. This is a rare chance to elevate your career as you take a lead role in our "One Plant" initiative, which aligns the operations of our plants in Ontario and Indiana. You will draw on your experience to build out Quality best practices and put your mark on quality assurance, change management, and continuous improvement initiatives.

What you will do:

• Drive a quality culture. You will promote the belief that everyone owns quality. You will take accountability for the overall success of QA standards and practices while guiding the team to take ownership of their actions. You will oversee the implementation of training and education for all plant employees. In addition, you will stay abreast of emerging technologies, industry best practices, and quality assurance trends to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge.
• Optimize and implement QA solutions. You will develop and implement quality assurance strategies, policies, and procedures to assess and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards. You will evaluate, optimize, and maintain quality control processes and systems to monitor product quality throughout manufacturing, from raw material sourcing to finished product distribution. You will develop quality assurance and food safety key performance indicators to monitor performance and identify areas of improvement. You will implement change management strategies and plans that drive faster adoption of improvements and best practices that increase quality and efficiency.
• Collaborate. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including Operations, Production, Product Development, and Procurement, to drive continuous improvement initiatives and enhance product quality and safety. You will collaborate with the Quality and Leadership teams to roll out changes and initiatives and achieve high engagement and adoption from the plant teams. You will develop and maintain relationships with regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders to stay informed of regulatory changes and industry trends. You will prepare and present reports on quality performance, trends, and initiatives to senior management and stakeholders.

What you bring to the role:

• The education. You have a degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Industrial Engineering or a related discipline.
• The experience. You bring a holistic view of Quality and its cascading impact on the internal and external success of a business. You have extensive quality assurance experience in food and beverage manufacturing. You have successfully built and implemented a QMS. You have a demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement initiatives and implement best practices to enhance product quality and safety in a multi-site organization. You have experience managing crises, including product recalls and quality-related incidents. You have deep knowledge of FDA, HACCP and GFSI requirements.
• The technical knowledge. You have experience in thermal processing techniques, including hot fill, sterilization or aseptic processing within the food manufacturing industry. You have a deep understanding of sanitation systems, techniques and procedures and pasteurization/post-pasteurization processes.
• The leadership. You have a results-oriented mindset with a focus on achieving quality objectives and driving business success. You operate with high integrity, attention to detail, professionalism, and a commitment to upholding ethical and regulatory standards. You have been directly involved in strategic conversations leading to impactful, organization-wide decisions. You have the confidence to take new ideas forward and productively challenge the status quo. You think logically and execute tactically when managing complex and ambiguous problems.
• The team management. You have managed a QA team, inspiring high performance, quality, and efficiency. You take cost control, safety, and quality incredibly seriously and can manage conflict, coordinate schedules, and identify gaps in skills or resources. As a mentor, you can offer insight into how they can improve the quality of their work.
• The change management skills. You have proven success leading complex projects from end to end. You can seamlessly adapt to changes in priorities and shift your focus when necessary. You have a proven ability to lead cultural shifts, resulting in a best-in-class Quality environment. You have the knowledge and ability to articulate the motivation behind changes and provide advocacy and involved leadership that inspires teams to embrace new practices.
• The interpersonal skills. You have outstanding professional written and verbal skills. You can explain complex technical concepts to a non-technical audience, demonstrating business value and impact. You excel at gaining trust and building relationships with internal teams, regulatory agencies, industry stakeholders, and external partners. You have finely tuned collaboration and negotiation skills. You genuinely appreciate diverse experiences and backgrounds and are interested in understanding others, hearing their perspectives, and addressing their concerns.

Why join?

We believe actions speak louder than words. Every day, we come together to exceed the expectations of our customers, each other and ourselves, inspired by our values:

• We care. About family, honesty, and respect.
• We communicate. Across every level, often, effectively, and clearly.
• We Empower. With trust, Integrity, and accountability.
• We Deliver. Every time, through teamwork, innovation, and results.

Growth. The opportunities for growth and impact for our company and our people are exponential. With new leadership, a renewed focus, and a world-class investor in Axel Johnson, we are positioned to double our revenue and make a positive, long-lasting contribution to society.

Apply now.

At Skjodt-Barrett, we aim for diversity, equality, accessibility and inclusion in our operations and interactions. We welcome and appreciate candidates with a range of backgrounds and experiences. If you have 70% of the qualifications we are looking for, please consider applying.

What you can expect from our interview process:

1. A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor discussing your interest in the role and your experience.
2. An interview with the COO to discuss how your Quality Assurance, Continuous Improvement, and leadership experience lines up with the needs of the role and the organization.
3. An on-site plant tour and a panel interview with the COO, local Plant Manager and another leadership team member. This will be a chance to see firsthand the plant setup, understand current standards and discuss future plans.

Skjordt-Barrett welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Please let us know what accommodations you require across the selection process.

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