Quality Assurance Manager

**Job Overview**

At Parkhill Meats, we take pride in our employees and strive to foster a culture where both production and management teams contribute to a safe, high-quality, and regulatory-compliant work environment. Producing safe, legal, and high-quality products is fundamental to our success, and we are committed to instilling a strong food safety culture among our employees.

The Quality Assurance Manager is a hands-on leadership role responsible for overseeing food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. This role plays a critical part in ensuring that our products meet domestic and international regulatory standards, enabling Parkhill Meats to export products to markets worldwide. Leading a small team of dedicated professionals, this position requires a continuous improvement mindset to enhance both quality and operational processes.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Food Safety & Quality Assurance**:

- Lead the implementation, verification, validation, and ongoing maintenance of the Food Safety and Quality System, ensuring compliance with CFIA Federal Standards and working towards BRC and GFSI Certification.
- Ensure regulatory compliance with CFIA, FDA, BRC, and other international food safety standards to facilitate exportation of our products to global markets.
- Develop and maintain export regulatory programs, ensuring proper documentation, labeling, and process controls are in place for international shipments.
- Oversee HACCP compliance, including performing reviews, preparing documentation, and ensuring readiness for CFIA CVS (Compliance Verification System) tasks.
- Manage document control within the Food Safety System, ensuring all documentation is up to date, accessible, and effectively implemented.
- Supervise and evaluate food safety procedures by conducting or reviewing product tests and operational protocols to meet quality specifications.
- Conduct internal audits, document root cause analyses, implement corrective actions, and oversee continuous improvement initiatives.
- Handle customer complaints, conduct investigations, determine root causes, implement solutions, and maintain complaint records.
- Manage the vendor approval program by maintaining updated supplier documentation and performing vendor/supplier audits.
- Prepare for and facilitate all regulatory, third-party, and customer audits (e.g., CFIA, FDA, BRC, export-related inspections).
- Ensure product labeling compliance, verifying accuracy against product specifications and international trade regulations.

**Food Safety Leadership**:

- Provide training and coaching on quality management programs, food safety procedures, and best practices to employees at all levels.
- Monitor and verify food safety records and documentation, ensuring accurate completion and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Maintain a sanitized and orderly work environment, ensuring compliance with industry hygiene and sanitation regulations.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Operations, Production, Maintenance) to drive process improvements and maintain food safety excellence.

**Regulatory Compliance & Export Readiness**:

- Ensure full compliance with domestic and international food safety laws to support Parkhill Meats' ability to export products to multiple global markets.
- Stay up to date on changing regulatory requirements (e.g., CFIA, FDA, USDA, EU, China, and other international trade partners) and implement necessary adjustments to maintain export eligibility.
- Facilitate regulatory audits and inspections related to export compliance, ensuring all documentation and processes meet international trade requirements.
- Work closely with government agencies to secure export approvals and navigate regulatory challenges related to international trade.
- Maintain relationships with certification bodies and regulatory agencies to ensure continued compliance with evolving global food safety and trade policies.

**Reporting & Continuous Improvement**:

- Provide regular reports to senior management on food safety trends, regulatory compliance, export readiness, audit findings, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Drive continuous improvement using data analysis, process optimization methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma), and food safety innovations.
- Perform additional duties as required, contributing to the overall efficiency and success of the quality assurance department.

**Qualifications**:

- A bachelor’s degree in science, engineering or agriculture
- A minimum of 5+ years of experience in QA, preferably in food processing and experience or knowledge of regulatory requirements, with the resources to stay up to date on mandatory changes.
- At least 3 years in a leadership or management with Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing quality teams
- Must be at ease in communicating in both written and spoken English
- Proficient in using data analysis tools (e.g., CSB, Excel)
- Experience and/or knowledge with th