Food Safety & Quality Manager

Overview

The Food Safety & Quality Manager at GoodPop is instrumental in guaranteeing a consistently excellent experience for customers enjoying GoodPop products. This role focuses on operational execution, ensuring compliance, supporting audits, and managing daily quality operations across GoodPop's co-manufacturing partners. It requires approximately 40% travel to visit manufacturing sites for audits, training, and compliance checks. The position reports directly to the Director of Manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain GoodPop's quality standards, contract manufacturer codes of conduct, key processes, and performance indicators.
• Implement consistent quality requirements for all SKUs across various contract manufacturers.
• Evaluate ingredient Certificates of Analysis (COAs), ensure proper internal filing, and handle external communications as necessary.
• Manage external certifications such as organic, non-GMO, and kosher, including their maintenance and renewal to keep all certifications current.
• Collaborate with R&D to verify ingredient statements, nutrition facts, and allergen declarations for all SKUs are accurate.
• Support onboarding of new supplier partners and SKUs, and continuously improve working methods to maintain specification compliance.
• Engage in monthly operations meetings and quarterly business reviews with co-manufacturers.
• Contribute to Innovation Project Teams by representing quality perspectives during new product commercialization.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain to ensure proper storage and handling of materials from raw inputs to finished goods.
• Oversee cold chain integrity across manufacturing and distribution partners to uphold frozen product quality and safety.
• Conduct audits and quality inspections at contract manufacturing sites as per audit schedules.
• Assist in reviewing HACCP plans and verify proper monitoring and documentation of Critical Control Points at manufacturing locations.
• Analyze quality data and consumer feedback to detect any issues swiftly.
• Investigate complaints and deviations, identify root causes, and aid in applying corrective actions and escalating where appropriate.
• Collaborate with sales and customer service teams to resolve daily quality concerns and report significant trends or risks.
• Manage documentation for GoodPop's approved supplier program to guarantee supplier compliance with food safety and quality standards.
• Support adherence to Food Safety (GFSI) Programs, allergen management, and relevant federal, state, and local food regulations at contract manufacturing facilities.
• Ensure compliance with FDA regulations including FSMA Preventive Controls and applicable CFR requirements.
• Assist in recall procedure development and crisis management efforts.
• Maintain readiness for mock recall exercises to verify effective traceability and response protocols.
• Handle customer and retailer quality questionnaires, portal management, and compliance documentation requests.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related discipline preferred; professional experience may substitute for formal education.
• Quality certifications such as PCQI or Better Process Control are desirable.
• Between 4 to 6 years of food safety and quality assurance experience within food manufacturing environments, ideally including contract manufacturing.
• Familiarity with quality management systems and basic data analytics software.
• Experience or knowledge of frozen foods, ice cream, novelties, or aseptic processing is advantageous.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities supported by a proactive and detail-focused work style.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective cross-department collaboration.
• Proficiency with Excel for data management and quality reporting.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time.
• High integrity, ethical standards, and alignment with GoodPop's core values.