Quality & Food Safety Director – Beverage Manufacturing
Location: Harrisonburg, VA

We are seeking a Quality & Food Safety Director to lead quality operations at our unionized, 14-line beverage manufacturing facility with approximately 700 employees. This role ensures product excellence, regulatory compliance, and a strong culture of quality while driving continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee plant quality operations, ensuring compliance with industry and regulatory standards (GMP, FDA, ISO, AIB, etc.).

• Lead a team of ~40 employees, including three direct reports, fostering development and performance excellence.

• Drive a culture of quality through integrated work systems, continuous improvement, and best practices.

• Ensure food safety and product conformity through rigorous sampling, monitoring, and compliance protocols.

• Manage the plant laboratory, overseeing testing, equipment maintenance, and team training.

• Act as the primary quality contact, collaborating with internal teams, regulatory agencies, and industry partners.

• Report directly to the Senior Plant Director, with a dotted line to Corporate Quality.

• Lead and maintain certification systems, including GFSI/FSSC 22000, Kosher, and Organic.

• Train and mentor plant teams, fostering cross-functional development and leadership growth.

• Develop and execute a long-term strategic vision for quality excellence.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related field.

• 10+ years of quality experience in food or beverage manufacturing (dairy experience preferred).

• Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills, with the ability to influence all levels of the organization.

• Proven change agent, building trust and positive relationships.

• Expertise in root cause analysis and problem-solving (formal training preferred).

• Ability to analyze data, identify key success factors, and communicate findings to non-technical teams.

• Knowledge of local, state, and federal quality regulations is a plus.

• Proficiency in MS Office and Smartsheets.

• Willingness to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment, including early mornings, late nights, and weekends as needed.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary: $150K – $180K

• 23% Short-Term Incentive (STI) bonus \+ Long-Term Incentive (LTI) eligibility

• Relocation assistance available (homeowners & renters)

This is a high-impact leadership role with direct influence on product quality, operational excellence, and consumer trust. If you’re passionate about quality and food safety, we’d love to hear from you!