Quality Assurance (QA) Manager
Concord, ON, Canada
Full Time
Manager/Supervisor
Employment Type: Permanent Full Time, Existing Vacancy
Expected Compensation: $90k per year plus incentive compensation
We are seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager to lead our Quality Assurance and Food Safety functions within our food manufacturing operation. This role is responsible for ensuring our products and processes consistently meet food safety, quality, regulatory, customer, and Company standards.
VM Food Group offers:
- A competitive compensation package including comprehensive health and wellness benefits
- We have an entrepreneurial spirit and the soul of a start-up
- We value creativity, open-mindedness, out-of-box thinking and flexibility
- And of course, complimentary oatmeal!
Here’s a bit about VM Food group:
Vaughn Mills Packaging Ltd. (“VM Food Group”) manufactures and distributes oatmeal and other hot cereal products, servicing businesses of all sizes across North America. We are one of North America’s leading value-added private label partners for retail brands bringing innovation and thought leadership to the hot cereal breakfast category. We currently specialize in the formulation, mixing and packaging of private label oatmeal to the North American grocery market with our largest category served being single serve instant oatmeal and specialty blends. We excel because of our innovation, responsiveness, and strong corporate culture to deliver the most effective solutions.
Here’s what you will do as Quality Assurance Manager:
The Quality Assurance (QA) Manager will lead and develop the QA and Sanitation teams while partnering closely with Production, Maintenance, Procurement, and other departments to maintain a strong food safety culture, proactively manage risk, resolve quality issues, and drive continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is a hands-on, collaborative leader with strong knowledge of food safety and quality systems who can balance day-to-day operational support with longer-term improvements to our processes, systems, and team capabilities. More specifically:
- Lead and develop the Quality Assurance and Sanitation teams, including staffing, training, performance management, and team development.
- Own and continuously improve the Company's food safety and quality management systems, including HACCP, GMPs, allergen control, sanitation, environmental monitoring, CCP monitoring, traceability, and recall programs.
- Ensure products and processes meet regulatory, customer, GFSI, and Company requirements and maintain a high level of audit and inspection readiness.
- Lead CFIA, FDA, customer, and third-party audits, including preparation, responses, corrective actions, and follow-up.
- Oversee QA activities including inspections, testing, CCP verification, environmental monitoring, documentation, and product release.
- Lead investigations into non-conformances, customer complaints, food safety incidents, and quality issues, using root-cause analysis and CAPA to prevent recurrence.
- Partner with Production, Maintenance, Procurement, and other departments to identify and resolve quality, food safety, process, equipment, and supplier-related issues.
- Provide QA leadership for new products, process changes, equipment installations, ingredient substitutions, packaging changes, and validation activities.
- Establish and monitor quality and food safety KPIs, analyze trends, and provide management with insights and recommendations.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve product consistency, reduce defects and waste, strengthen food safety systems, and enhance operational performance.
- Maintain accurate and effective quality documentation, procedures, specifications, records, and training programs.
- Serve as a member of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) and champion the Company's health and safety initiatives, promoting a strong safety culture, proactive hazard identification, and continuous improvement across the facility.
- Champion a strong food safety, quality, and continuous improvement culture across the organization through visible leadership, employee engagement, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Take on additional responsibilities, initiatives, or special projects as needed to support the continued growth and success of VM Food Group.
Here’s what you’ll need to be a successful Quality Assurance Manager:
Education & Experience
- University or College degree/diploma in Food Science, Applied Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Manufacturing, or a related discipline.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance and/or Quality Control within a food manufacturing environment.
- 3+ years of management or supervisory experience, with demonstrated ability to lead and develop a team.
- Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, allergen control, sanitation, environmental monitoring, traceability, recall, and food safety systems.
- SQF Practitioner, HACCP, PCQI, or equivalent food safety certification considered an asset.
- Experience with CFIA, FDA, GFSI, SQF/BRC, customer, and third-party audits.
- Experience developing, implementing, and continuously improving quality and food safety systems.
- Experience conducting root-cause analysis and managing corrective and preventive actions.
Technical & Core Skills & Abilities
- Strong leadership, coaching, and team-development skills.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Strong understanding of food manufacturing processes and their impact on food safety and product quality.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with employees, management, customers, auditors, and regulatory authorities.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP systems; experience with quality management systems and data/reporting tools is an asset.
- Ability to read, interpret, and develop technical procedures, specifications, standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, integrity, accountability, and sound professional judgment.
- Ability to make timely decisions and appropriately escalate food safety, quality, and compliance risks.
- Ability to work collaboratively across all levels of the Company and influence without relying solely on formal authority.
- Ability to work occasional alternate shifts, evenings, weekends, or extended hours as required by business and operational needs.
Interested in being a part of VM Food Group? We look forward to your application!
VM Food Group is committed to meeting the accessibility needs of all applicants throughout the recruiting and selection process. Please let us know about any accommodation and/or support requirements. Please note only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
VM Food Group is working in partnership with HR à la carte for our recruitment efforts.
Please note: we are only accepting applications from those authorized to work in Canada and we are not currently sponsoring any temporary or permanent work visas.
Use of AI in Hiring: Some stages of our recruitment process may use AI-assisted tools to support recruitment efforts; however, all applications are screened and assessed by human reviewers. In addition, all final hiring decisions are made by humans.
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