Plant Quality & Food Safety Manager

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.

Continuous Improvement

• • 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

Current employees please note: this position is referral bonus eligible! See our policy for more details.

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. Start your adventure where endless possibilities to thrive together await.

• Competitive Salary
• Heath, dental & vision coverage
• Pay for performance incentives
• Employee & Family assistance programs
• Wellness Programs
• Retirement Planning
• Supplemental Parental Leaves
• Disability Support
• Family friendly Flex policies & Summer hours
• Volunteer hours
• Learning and mentorship opportunities
• Safety focused work environment

About High Liner Foods

Founded in 1899 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, High Liner Foods has grown from a small salt fish company into a leading North American processor and marketer of value-added frozen seafood. Our trusted brands — including High Liner, Fisher Boy, Mirabel, Sea Cuisine, C.Wirthy & Co, Mrs. Paul’s, Van de Kamp’s, and Icelandic Seafood — are enjoyed by families, restaurants, and institutions across Canada and the United States.

Guided by our purpose of Reimagining Seafood to Nourish Life, we combine over a century of expertise with innovation, consumer insight, and responsible practices to deliver high-quality seafood people can trust.

At High Liner Foods, we are a people-first organization. We invest in our employees through development opportunities, collaborative teamwork, and a culture where safety, well-being, and growth are priorities. Whether in our offices, plants, or distribution teams, our people work together to deliver excellence and drive the future of seafood.

Our Values

Serve with Purpose – We put our customers and consumers at the heart of everything we do, creating quality products that help to nourish lives and foster connections that go beyond the plate.

Do the Right Thing – We lead with integrity, act responsibly, and make choices that support our people, our partners, and our planet. .

Innovate & Reimagine – We challenge the norm, embrace fresh ideas, and turn innovation into impact.

All Hands on Deck – Powered by people and driven by purpose, we lead with courage, hold one another accountable, and celebrate as a team

Ready to make waves with us? Join High Liner Foods and help shape the future of seafood.

To learn more please visit our Career/LinkedIn/Indeed page

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