QA Manager Candidate

SEEKING A ROLE AS: QA Manager, FSQA Manager

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

PROFILE:
A dynamic Quality Assurance and Food Safety leader with 7+ years of progressive experience across beverage, refrigerated ready-to-eat foods, dairy processing, and fresh produce environments. Six Sigma certified with a strong record of leading cross-functional teams, driving measurable improvements in product quality, consumer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. Excels at combining technical food science expertise with operational leadership to strengthen Quality Management Systems, reduce risk, and improve plant performance.

SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS:
– 7+ years of leadership in beverage, refrigerated foods, dairy formulation, and produce-related processing environments.
– Achieved a 90% reduction in consumer complaints through implementation of Six Sigma and statistical process control initiatives.
– Managed QA/QC operations across six beverage production lines, supervising union and non-union teams while ensuring GMP and regulatory compliance.
– Led SQF (Practitioner), HACCP (Certified), and FSSC 22000 programs including internal audits, training, and corrective action oversight.
– Reformulated refrigerated food products to improve texture and extend shelf-life, securing a $1M private-label contract.
– Directed R&D technical projects in dairy processing, developing new functional ingredient applications and innovative product solutions.
– Strong background in laboratory operations, microbial testing, sensory evaluation, and ingredient functionality.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS:
MS, Food Science & Human Nutrition
Six Sigma Yellow Belt | SQF Practitioner | HACCP Certified | FSSC 22000 Internal Auditor

COMPENSATION: Base salary expectation in the $110,000 – $125,000 range depending on incentive structure and scope of responsibility.

If you are interested in speaking with this Beverage & Refrigerated Foods Quality Leader who can elevate food safety systems, drive measurable quality improvements, and support operational excellence across fresh and refrigerated product environments, then…
Contact:
Stephanie Savage
stephanies@kinsa.com
Worksite Preference:Open
Employment Preference:Permanent