Quality and food safety are central to the trust Canadians place in Loblaw Control Brands. As a Senior Quality Assurance Specialist - Strategic Initiatives, you will be a hands-on technical leader who helps deliver complex changes across products, suppliers and manufacturing operations without compromising safety, quality, consumer experience or supply continuity.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, QA - Strategic Initiatives, you will independently lead assigned QA workstreams within a portfolio of cross-functional initiatives. You will translate technical risk into practical action, partner with suppliers and internal teams, and build the evidence required to confidently implement change. A critical part of this role is the ability to assess, challenge and validate manufacturing processes at commercial scale-not simply review finished-product results.
Where you will make an impact
Deliver enterprise change with strong QA execution
• Lead assigned QA workstreams for supplier and manufacturing transitions, ingredient or formulation changes, regulatory updates, quality improvement programs, supply challenges and other business-critical initiatives.
• Complete risk-based technical assessments across product, process, site and supplier changes; identify critical food safety and quality risks, define mitigation actions, and recommend clear go/no-go criteria.
• Work with Product Development, Product Management, Sourcing, Regulatory Affairs, Operations and suppliers to align technical requirements, milestones, decisions and implementation readiness.
• Maintain thorough project documentation, specifications, test results, validation conclusions and clear status updates; escalate unresolved risk promptly to the Senior Manager.
Validate manufacturing processes and protect product performance
• Plan, lead and critically assess factory trials, start-ups and commercial-scale production runs to confirm that manufacturing processes consistently deliver safe, compliant products meeting defined quality and sensory attributes.
• Evaluate equipment capability, process flow, ingredient functionality and variability, critical control points, process parameters, operating ranges, line capability and in-process/finished-product controls.
• Develop or assess process-validation protocols with suppliers: establish objectives, sampling plans, acceptance criteria and required evidence; review results, investigate deviations and determine whether repeat trials or additional controls are required.
• Verify that changes are repeatable under normal production conditions and that critical process parameters, product specifications, monitoring methods and corrective actions are documented and sustainable.
• Apply fit-for-purpose studies including shelf life, allergen management, microbiological and analytical testing, sensory evaluation, packaging integrity and distribution/transport testing, according to risk.
Strengthen quality governance and continuous improvement
• Apply HACCP principles, applicable Canadian food regulations, GFSI-recognized food safety scheme requirements, Loblaw standards and quality management system expectations to project decisions.
• Investigate complex non-conformances, customer complaint trends and recurring product or process failures; drive evidence-based root-cause analysis, corrective/preventive actions and checks of sustained effectiveness.
• Partner with suppliers to improve process capability and quality controls; constructively challenge technical assumptions and identify systemic opportunities to simplify, standardize and strengthen QA practices.
• Provide concise, data-led technical recommendations and communicate readiness, validation outcomes, key risks and required decisions to the Senior Manager and cross-functional stakeholders.
What you bring
• Degree in Food Science, Food Engineering or a related scientific or technical discipline.
• 4-7 years of relevant experience in food manufacturing, quality assurance, process technology, R&D or a closely related technical role, including direct involvement in manufacturing operations.
• Essential: Demonstrated ability to design, execute and interpret manufacturing process-validation activities, including commercial plant trials, process parameters, sampling plans, acceptance criteria, deviation assessment and documented validation conclusions.
• Strong practical knowledge of food manufacturing processes, equipment, ingredient functionality, process controls, product specifications, sensory and analytical testing, and food safety risks.
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GFSI-recognized standards, quality management systems and applicable Canadian food regulations; ability to apply requirements in manufacturing environments.
• Proven strength in technical risk assessment, root-cause investigation, data analysis and corrective/preventive action, with sound judgment on when evidence is sufficient for implementation.
• Ability to lead multiple complex technical assignments with minimal direction, collaborate across functions and influence vendors through clear, credible recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication, project coordination, documentation and prioritization skills; willingness to travel to supplier and operating sites, including occasional national or international travel.
Hiring Range / Échelle salariale à l'embauche :
$68,000.00 - $93,500.00 / 68.000,00$ - 93.500,00$ (per year / par an)
A candidate's experience and knowledge as well as the geographical region in which the position is located may be factored into the pay a candidate receives for this position. This posting is for an existing vacancy. The Company uses artificial intelligence for the purpose of screening, assessing and/or selecting applicants for this position. / L'expérience et les connaissances d'un candidat ainsi que la région géographique dans laquelle le poste est situé peuvent être prises en compte dans la rémunération qu'un candidat reçoit pour ce poste. Cette offre d'emploi concerne un poste vacant existant. L'entreprise utilise l'intelligence artificielle dans le but de filtrer, d'évaluer et/ou de sélectionner les candidats à ce poste.
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