Plant Quality & Food Safety Manager in Lunenburg

Description

Job Overview:

The Plant Quality & Food Safety Manager is responsible for the overall execution, leadership, and continuous improvement of the site’s food safety and quality systems. Reporting directly to the Director, Corporate Food Safety & Quality, this role oversees all Quality Assurance and Sanitation functions, ensuring employee safety, regulatory compliance, and consistent production of safe, high‑quality, and fully compliant products. The Plant Quality & Food Safety Manager serves as the site’s food safety and quality champion, leading a culture of audit‑readiness every day, coaching and developing team members, and partnering with cross‑functional leaders to drive operational excellence. This position supports Production, Procurement, R&D, Sales, Marketing, and Corporate Food Safety while fostering a strong, proactive food safety and quality culture throughout the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Quality & Food Safety Leadership

• Lead the day‑to‑day operations of the Quality Assurance and Sanitation Departments, including QA Supervisors, QA Technicians (unionized), Sanitation leadership, and hourly sanitation employees.
• Ensure full implementation, execution, and verification of all food safety and quality programs, including HACCP, GMPs, SOPs, SSOPs, allergen control, environmental monitoring, and traceability.
• Serve as the site HACCP Team Coordinator; partner with Corporate Food Safety to maintain and improve corporate policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Champion a strong food safety and quality culture, ensuring all employees understand and uphold their responsibilities.
• Ensure the plant sanitation program is effective, validated, and consistently executed; oversee sanitation performance, chemical management, and compliance with the Master Sanitation Schedule.

Regulatory Compliance

• Lead all regulatory, customer, and third‑party audits, ensuring the facility is audit‑ready every day.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, provincial, and local regulations, SQF requirements, FSMA, and customer expectations.
• Manage the non‑conformance process, ensuring robust investigations, timely disposition, and strong corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Investigate and respond to consumer and customer complaints, identifying root causes and implementing sustainable solutions.
• Validate changes to manufacturing processes, equipment, ingredients, and sanitation procedures to ensure ongoing food safety and quality compliance.

Cross‑Functional Partnership & Operational Support

• Serve as a key member of the Plant Leadership Team, collaborating with Operations, Maintenance, HR, and Corporate partners to ensure alignment and execution of business objectives.
• Support new product development, process trials, and product launches in partnership with Corporate R&D.
• Provide technical guidance to internal stakeholders regarding specifications, regulatory requirements, and quality standards.
• Oversee pest control program performance and vendor relationships as required.
• Manage departmental budgets for labor, lab supplies, sanitation chemicals, pest control, and external services.

Leadership

• Coach, mentor, and develop QA and Sanitation team members to support growth, engagement, and high performance.
• Set clear expectations, conduct performance reviews, and manage daily accountability.
• Ensure adequate staffing, training, and coverage for all QA and Sanitation functions.
• Foster a positive working environment aligned with company values and Code of Conduct.
• Analyze key performance metrics and lead the development and execution of the site’s quality improvement plan.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance food safety, quality, efficiency, and cost effectiveness without compromising compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using data from complaints, audits, environmental monitoring, and internal non‑conformances.
• Support the implementation of corporate initiatives, including the High Liner Operating System or equivalent operational excellence frameworks.
• Continuously evaluate departmental processes, competencies, and systems to ensure ongoing improvement and sustainability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Nutrition, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in food manufacturing quality and food safety, including supervisory leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, SQF or other GFSI schemes, FSMA, and regulatory requirements (FDA, USDA, CFIA, etc.).
• Experience managing sanitation programs and understanding sanitation chemistry, validation, and verification.
• Demonstrated leadership ability with experience managing unionized employees preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with quality systems, databases, and specification management tools.

Vacancy Status: Current Vacancy

What's in it for you?

Join High Liner Foods for a career where you shape your path, backed by great benefits, flexible work, and a culture of diversity, innovation, and sustainability. Immerse yourself in opportunities to make a real impact and grow with us in our mission to nourish lives.

• Pay for performance incentives
• Employee & Family assistance programs
• Wellness Programs
• Retirement Planning
• Disability Support
• Family friendly Flex policies & Summer hours
• Learning and mentorship opportunities
• Safety focused work environment