Quality Assurance Director - Food Manufacturing
Greater Chicago Area | $130,000-$150,000/year | Bilingual Preferred
Are you a food safety leader ready to take ownership of a QA department in a high-output, 24/7 bakery operation? We're hiring a QA Director to oversee all quality assurance and food safety functions for our high-volume bakery facility just outside of Chicago.
This is a primarily day-shift role (start time around 7-8am), but flexibility for evenings/weekends is required. You play a critical leadership role in ensuring every product that leaves the plant meets the highest food safety and quality standards.
What You'll Do:
• Lead all QA and food safety programs: HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, allergen control, traceability, etc.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, SQF, and other regulatory/third-party audit standards
• Manage QA inspections across production, packaging, and sanitation
• Investigate product issues, customer complaints, and quality deviations
• Maintain quality documentation, lead internal audits, and drive continuous improvement
• Train QA staff and frontline production on quality protocols and corrective actions
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams on ingredients, packaging, and new product development
• Serve as the point of contact during regulatory inspections and third-party audits
What We're Looking For:
• 5+ years QA leadership experience in food manufacturing (bakery experience preferred)
• Working knowledge of HACCP, FDA/USDA, GMPs, and GFSI standards (SQF/BRC)
• Certifications in HACCP, SQF, PCQI strongly preferred
• Excellent leadership, documentation, and problem-solving skills
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) highly preferred
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment
What We Offer:
• Competitive salary ($130,000 - $150,000)
• Bonus
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Opportunity to lead and scale a QA department in a growing operation
