The role of the Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager is to establish, implement, and maintain the measures and systems to ensure raw materials and finished goods meet specification standards, customer expectations, and regulatory requirements.  The individual must be an experienced manager with strong technical abilities and well-developed leadership skills. The candidate must have a working knowledge of laboratory testing equipment, and test methods and a thorough understanding of regulatory requirements, and plant sanitation. The primary responsibility of this position is to ensure Food Safety and Product Quality. This is a hands-on position. Responsibilities: • Responsible for developing and implementing quality management systems and procedures.  • Review, revise, implement, and monitor the HACCP /HARPC-based food safety program, SSOP, GMP, and other Quality Assurance and Food Safety programs.  • Oversee the implementation and maintenance of the SQF Safe Quality Foods program including. • Validate the pre-requisite programs, and ensure an annual review of the SQF system is accomplished and documented. • Prepare and oversee the food safety system, validate the preventive controls, and review critical safety records • Direct and oversee the cleaning and sanitation operations within the plant.  • Work with sanitation personnel to ensure the plant operates under hygienic conditions and compliance with GMPs. • Define quality policies and interact with production management to ensure existing standards of production are satisfactory and follow food safety regulations. • Determine and document any area that may need improvement. • Inspect and sample the entire manufacturing process.  • Review current policies and improvise plans to improve upon existing quality standards. • Develop an insight into each of the manufacturing operations.  • Learn what is critical, what can go wrong, and how to correct a condition to ensure high-quality products. • Provide education to staff members and other plant personnel.   • Responsible for ensuring food safety/quality policies are followed, to report all food safety/quality problems out of their realm of responsibility to personnel with the authority to initiate action. Experience, Skills, Education: • Must have a bachelor's degree in food science, food technology, chemistry, or a related field; a master's degree is preferred. • Certified SQF and HACCP. • At least 5 years of relevant experience within a food manufacturing organization. • Certification in PCQI is preferred. • Demonstrated experience with FDA, USDA, and other governmental regulations. • Possess knowledge of low and moderate-moisture bakery and snack foods. • Possess good leadership capabilities to lead projects to a successful completion. • Must be able to grasp key points from complicated issues. • Must be an effective communicator with good report-writing skills. • Previous responsibility for determining product conformity (quality control) and development and maintenance of the food safety and quality systems is a strong requirement.