QA Manager Candidate

SEEKING A ROLE AS: FSQA Manager, Quality Systems Manager

IN LOCATION: Based in the Greater Chicago area. Willing to relocate anywhere and travel as needed.

PROFILE:
A seasoned Food Safety & Quality Assurance leader with 20+ years of progressive experience across bakery, ingredient manufacturing, and shelf-stable food environments. Recognized for building and strengthening food safety systems, improving audit outcomes, and leading multi-facility compliance programs. Brings deep expertise in HACCP/HARPC, SQF, BRC, FDA/USDA compliance, environmental monitoring, and regulatory documentation. Known for elevating food safety culture, driving audit readiness, and implementing systems that reduce risk while supporting operational efficiency.

SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS:
– 20+ years of leadership in bakery, ingredient, and shelf-stable manufacturing environments, including multi-site oversight.
– Led SQF certification efforts and achieved >96 audit scores for three consecutive years.
– Designed and optimized Environmental Monitoring Programs, reducing sampling sites from 1600 to 40 and cutting monthly costs from $500K to <$2.5K.
– Authored and implemented Food Defense, Food Fraud, Crisis Management, Pandemic Preparedness, and Internal Audit programs.
– Strengthened vendor verification and ingredient approval systems, improving supplier compliance and risk mitigation.
– Supervised and trained FSQA teams, developing KPIs and cross-functional food safety training programs.
– Managed labeling compliance, ingredient statements, and regulatory claims in accordance with FDA standards.
– Led mock recalls, traceability programs, allergen controls, and prerequisite programs aligned with SQF and BRC standards.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS:
B.S. in Chemistry
PCQI Certified | HACCP/HARPC | SQF Practitioner | BRC Practitioner
Internal Auditing | ISO 9000 | Better Process Control School (Acidified Foods)

COMPENSATION: Base salary expectation in the $95,000 – $120,000 range depending on scope of responsibility, incentives, and cost of living.

If you are interested in speaking with this Food Safety & Quality Leader who can elevate audit performance, strengthen regulatory compliance, and drive operational excellence across bakery, ingredient, and shelf-stable food manufacturing environments, then…
Contact:
Stephanie Savage
stephanies@kinsa.com
Worksite Preference:Open
Employment Preference:Permanent