Description

Job Overview:

The Plant Quality & Food Safety Manager is responsible for the overall execution, leadership, and continuous improvement of the site’s food safety and quality systems. Reporting directly to the Director, Corporate Food Safety & Quality, this role oversees all Quality Assurance and Sanitation functions, ensuring employee safety, regulatory compliance, and consistent production of safe, high‑quality, and fully compliant products.

The Plant

Quality & Food Safety Manager serves as the site’s food safety and quality champion, leading a culture of audit‑readiness every day, coaching and developing team members, and partnering with cross‑functional leaders to drive operational excellence. This position supports Production, Procurement, R&D;, Sales, Marketing, and Corporate Food Safety while fostering a strong, proactive food safety and quality culture throughout the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Quality & Food Safety Leadership

- Lead the day‑to‑day operations of the Quality Assurance and Sanitation Departments, including QA Supervisors, QA Technicians (unionized), Sanitation leadership, and hourly sanitation employees.
- Ensure full implementation, execution, and verification of all food safety and quality programs, including HACCP, GMPs, SOPs, SSOPs, allergen control, environmental monitoring, and traceability.
- Serve as the site HACCP Team Coordinator; partner with Corporate Food Safety to maintain and improve corporate policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Champion a strong food safety and quality culture, ensuring all employees understand and uphold their responsibilities.
- Ensure the plant sanitation program is effective, validated, and consistently executed; oversee sanitation performance, chemical management, and compliance with the Master Sanitation Schedule.

Regulatory Compliance

- Lead all regulatory, customer, and third‑party audits, ensuring the facility is audit‑ready every day.
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, provincial, and local regulations, SQF requirements, FSMA, and customer expectations.




- Manage the non‑conformance process, ensuring robust investigations, timely disposition, and strong corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Investigate and respond to consumer and customer complaints, identifying root causes and implementing sustainable solutions.
- Validate changes to manufacturing processes, equipment, ingredients, and sanitation procedures to ensure ongoing food safety and quality compliance.

Cross‑Functional Partnership & Operational Support

- Serve as a key member of the Plant Leadership Team, collaborating with Operations, Maintenance, HR, and Corporate partners to ensure alignment and execution of business objectives.
- Support new product development, process trials, and product launches in partnership with Corporate R&D.;
- Provide technical guidance to internal stakeholders regarding specifications, regulatory requirements, and quality standards.
- Oversee pest control program performance and vendor relationships as required.
- Manage departmental budgets for labor, lab supplies, sanitation chemicals, pest control, and external services.

Leadership

- Coach, mentor, and develop QA and Sanitation team members to support growth, engagement, and high performance.
- Set clear expectations, conduct performance reviews, and manage daily accountability.
- Ensure adequate staffing, training, and coverage for all QA and Sanitation functions.
- Foster a positive working environment aligned with company values and Code of Conduct.
- Analyze key performance metrics and lead the development and execution of the site’s quality improvement plan.
- Identify and implement process improvements that enhance food safety, quality, efficiency, and cost effectiveness without compromising compliance.




- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using data from complaints, audits, environmental monitoring, and internal non‑conformances.
- Support the implementation of corporate initiatives, including the High Liner Operating System or equivalent operational excellence frameworks.
- Continuously evaluate departmental processes, competencies, and systems to ensure ongoing improvement and sustainability.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Nutrition, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
- Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in food manufacturing quality and food safety, including supervisory leadership.
- Strong working knowledge of HACCP, SQF or other GFSI schemes, FSMA, and regulatory requirements (FDA, USDA, CFIA, etc.).
- Experience managing sanitation programs and understanding sanitation chemistry, validation, and verification.
- Demonstrated leadership ability with experience managing unionized employees preferred.
- Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts.
- High attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across all levels of the organization.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with quality systems, databases, and specification management tools.

Vacancy Status: Current Vacancy

What's in it for you?

Join High Liner Foods for a career where you shape your path, backed by great benefits, flexible work, and a culture of diversity, innovation, and sustainability. Immerse yourself in opportunities to make a real impact and grow with us in our mission to nourish lives.

- Pay for performance incentives
- Employee & Family assistance programs
- Wellness Programs
- Retirement Planning
- Disability Support
- Family friendly Flex policies & Summer hours
- Learning and mentorship opportunities
- Safety focused work workplace

📌 Plant Quality & Food Safety Manager (Lunenburg)
🏢 High Liner Foods
📍 Lunenburg