The Corporate Quality Systems Manager is responsible for leading the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of corporate food safety and quality systems across all Kagome USA facilities. This role ensures compliance with GFSI standards, SQF requirements, regulatory obligations, customer expectations, and internal company policies. The position provides strategic and technical leadership to plant quality teams, supports audit readiness, drives standardization, and promotes a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the organization.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the design, implementation, and governance of corporate quality and food safety programs, policies, procedures, and work instructions across all facilities.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, customer standards, GFSI benchmarked schemes, and SQF Code requirements.
- Partner with plant quality leadership to standardize programs, strengthen controls, and implement continuous improvement initiatives related to food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.
- Coordinate and support internal, customer, and third-party audits, including audit preparation, onsite support, corrective action follow-up, and verification of effectiveness.
- Develop, review, and maintain corporate documentation within the Food Safety and Quality Management System to ensure accuracy, consistency, and control.
- Monitor and report key quality system metrics, audit trends, nonconformance data, corrective and preventive action status, and other leading indicators to corporate and plant management.
- Provide technical guidance and risk-based recommendations related to food safety, quality systems, supplier performance, and process controls.
- Support supplier quality and approval processes as needed to help ensure raw materials and packaging meet established requirements.
- Recommend and deliver training materials and guidance that build organizational capability in quality systems, food safety, document control, and compliance expectations.
- Promote and reinforce a proactive food safety and quality culture across facilities by driving accountability, engagement, and awareness.
- Manage direct reports, including performance management, coaching, development planning, and prioritization of team responsibilities, as applicable.
- Support the review, understanding and compliance of all programs, policies and procedures contained in the Food Safety and Quality Management System. Understand my role in food safety and regulatory responsibilities as required by the SQF Food Safety Code and report on any food safety concerns to initiate appropriate action.
- During the absence of the Corporate Quality Systems Manager, the authorities described in this job description will be handled or delegated by the VP of FSQR.
POSITION DIMENSIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline required. Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in food safety, quality assurance, or quality systems management in a food manufacturing environment. Prior experience supporting multi-site operations, audit programs, regulatory, and quality system standardization preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Strong knowledge of food safety and quality systems, including HACCP, preventive controls, GMPs, sanitation programs, supplier quality programs, and document control.
- Working knowledge of GFSI benchmarked standards, SQF requirements, FDA regulations, and customer audit expectations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, influence without direct authority, and manage multiple priorities across a multi-site organization.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information clearly to diverse audiences.
- Strong problem-solving, root cause analysis, and corrective action management skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and quality/document management systems.
- Ability to travel as needed to support audits, plant initiatives, and corporate quality system projects.
- Uphold Kagome's Values: Employee works well with others as a team and treats others with respect. Conducts self in a professional manner and exhibits the highest level of integrity. Maintains a positive attitude through good working relationships with our customers, visitors, and co-workers that emphasizes our commitment to good customer service.
- Employee Retention: Build a culture employees and/or co-workers want to be a part of. Be helpful to others and work as a team toward company goals. Participate in an exceptional onboarding experience for new hires and ensure they have the necessary tools to succeed in their roles by welcoming and assisting them. Build employee engagement, recognize, and reward employees, provide avenues for professional development, and manage to retain.
- Written and Oral communication: Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information. Speaks clearly and respectfully in positive and negative situations; listens and gets clarification; actively engages in meetings.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position is based at Corporate Headquarters in Los Banos, CA, with flexibility for travel to manufacturing locations based on business needs. Must be able and willing to work extended hours when necessary to support audits, investigations, or critical business priorities.
