PURPOSE OF POSITION
The Senior Quality & Regulatory Manager provides leadership and oversight for Anchor Ingredients' food safety, quality, and regulatory programs while ensuring strong execution at the facility level.
This role combines strategic program leadership, hands-on plant quality management, and corporate Quality team leadership. The position partners closely with Operations, Sales, Customer Service, Procurement, and company leadership to integrate food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements into daily operations and business decisions.
The successful candidate will be a collaborative, solutions-oriented leader who uses risk-based thinking, data, and practical problem-solving to strengthen systems, develop employees, and continuously improve Anchor's food safety and quality culture.
FOOD SAFETY, QUALITY & REGULATORY
- Lead the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Anchor's Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSQMS).
- Ensure Food Safety Plans, prerequisite programs, policies, procedures, and quality programs are effectively implemented across Anchor facilities.
- Maintain compliance with applicable FDA, USDA, customer, GFSI/SQF, Organic, Kosher, gluten-free, and other certification requirements.
- Maintain readiness for regulatory inspections, certification audits, and customer audits; lead or support these activities as appropriate.
- Monitor evolving regulatory, food safety, and customer requirements affecting human food, pet food, and ingredient markets, ensuring appropriate programs and controls are in place to meet regulatory and food safety requirements.
- Serve as a key company contact for suppliers, customers, auditors, certification bodies, and regulatory agencies on food safety, quality, and regulatory matters.
- Oversee product specifications, technical documentation, certifications, supplier documentation, and related regulatory and customer requirements.
- Maintain effective FSQMS document control and periodically review programs and procedures for continued compliance and effectiveness.
- Manage change control and risk assessment activities for new or modified ingredients, products, processes, equipment, and operations.
MANUFACTURING FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY
- Provide visible, hands-on, engaged quality leadership within manufacturing sites, ensuring daily operations comply with established food safety, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements.
- Conduct internal audits/inspections and monitor prerequisite programs to identify potential deficiencies and implement effective corrective actions.
- Oversee plant analytical, microbiological, and quality testing activities and appropriate laboratory practices.
- Lead or coordinate investigations of food safety, quality, customer, and regulatory non-conformances, including product disposition, root cause analysis, corrective action, and follow-up.
- Partner with Operations on process improvements, equipment changes, capital projects, acquisitions, and new product introductions to ensure food safety and quality requirements are appropriately addressed.
LEADERSHIP & FOOD SAFETY CULTURE
- Champion a culture of food safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Lead by example through regular engagement with employees and active participation in plant operations.
- Partner with Operations and company leadership to establish clear expectations and accountability for food safety and quality performance.
- Lead, develop, coach, and mentor Quality team members.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biological Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related technical field; equivalent education and relevant industry experience may be considered.
- 5+ years of progressive food safety, quality assurance, or regulatory experience in food, feed, pet food, ingredient, or related manufacturing.
- Previous people leadership experience strongly preferred.
- Experience implementing or managing a GFSI-recognized food safety and quality system; SQF experience strongly preferred.
- Working knowledge of FDA food safety regulations, including applicable requirements of 21 CFR Part 117, as well as relevant USDA requirements.
- Strong knowledge of HACCP, FSMA preventive controls, GMPs, sanitation, environmental monitoring, and related food safety principles.
- HACCP and PCQI training required or ability to obtain within an established timeframe; SQF Practitioner experience preferred.
- Experience supporting or leading regulatory inspections, third-party certification audits, and customer audits.
- Knowledge of microbiological and analytical testing, laboratory practices, and plant GMP requirements.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to use data and risk-based thinking to identify issues and drive improvement.
- Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating across departments and facilities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with ERP, document management, and quality management systems.
- Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDSThe work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This job operates within a professional office environment. While performing the duties of this job inside the office, the employee is frequently exposed to normal working conditions for an office environment with a noise level that is usually quiet to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee may be required to stand for long periods of time as well as use hands or fingers to reach or handle, and to reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. All vision abilities are required to encompass close-up work. On occasion, employees must be able to tolerate and endure extended seasonal hours and maintain alertness to meet deadlines.
