Quality Assurance Director

Red River Commodities is a leading processor of sunflower seeds and specialty grains, specializing in high-quality, nutritious food products. We pride ourselves on our sustainable practices, innovation, and commitment to delivering superior products to our customers. Our team shares core values focused on family, pride, passion, safety, and integrity. We work hard, play harder, embrace authenticity, and always support one another to achieve our goals.

Position Overview: The Quality Assurance Director will lead and oversee the food safety and quality assurance functions across our organization, which include food manufacturing, bird food production, and grain processing plants. This role plays a pivotal role in maintaining our commitment to the highest standards of food safety. This role requires a seasoned leader with deep expertise in quality systems, regulatory compliance, and team management. The Quality Assurance Director will work closely with plant managers, production teams, and regulatory agencies to ensure all facilities adhere to quality and safety standards and continue to meet the company’s commitment to excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Quality Assurance Leadership:

• Foster a company-wide culture that prioritizes food safety and quality, leading by example and setting a high standard for all employees.
• Strategically oversee food safety and quality assurance functions, ensuring integration across all departments and levels within the organization.
• Develop, implement, and manage comprehensive quality assurance (QA) and food safety programs across all facilities to meet regulatory, customer, and internal standards.
• Establish quality metrics, goals, and KPIs, monitoring performance to ensure consistent adherence to company and regulatory standards.
• Proactively identify compliance gaps and improvement opportunities, implementing corrective actions to elevate our standards of food safety and product quality.
• Lead QA initiatives for both food and non-food divisions (food manufacturing, bird food, and grain processing) to maintain high-quality product output across all business lines.
• Lead crisis management efforts, including recall strategies and customer issue resolution, maintaining the company’s reputation and customer trust.

Compliance and Regulatory Oversight:

• Ensure company-wide compliance with relevant food safety regulations, including FDA, USDA, and any other local or federal requirements, as well as industry best practices (e.g., HACCP, GMP, SQF and FDA).
• Serve as the primary contact with regulatory bodies for quality and food safety audits, inspections, and certifications.
• Stay up-to-date with industry regulations and standards, proactively implementing any necessary changes or improvements to maintain compliance.

Process Improvement and Risk Management:

• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product quality, safety, and consistency across all facilities.
• Lead root cause analysis for quality incidents and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to mitigate risks and prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate with production, operations, and supply chain teams to develop and refine quality processes and ensure alignment with overall company goals.

Team Development and Leadership:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing quality assurance team across all facilities, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure consistent implementation of quality programs.
• Build a culture of quality and continuous improvement within the QA team and across other functional areas.
• Conduct regular site visits to each facility to assess quality performance, provide on-site guidance, and foster a proactive approach to quality management.

Documentation and Reporting:

• Oversee the documentation and maintenance of quality records, including testing results, inspections, audits, and corrective actions, ensuring all records are thorough, accurate, and audit-ready.
• Prepare regular reports on quality performance, trends, and improvement opportunities for senior leadership and other stakeholders.
• Manage and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and quality manuals for all processes and facilities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with operations, and supply chain teams to ensure quality considerations are integrated into the packaging and production processes.
• Partner with procurement and vendor management teams to establish and maintain quality standards for raw materials and external suppliers.
• Provide expertise and guidance to customer service, sales, and marketing teams on quality matters, supporting customer inquiries and ensuring customer satisfaction with product quality.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biology, Microbiology, or a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in quality assurance, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within the food manufacturing, grain processing, or similar industry.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to foster a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Strong working knowledge and direct experience with USDA, HACCP, GMP, FDA and SQF programs and audit processes.
• Proven track record of successfully managing quality assurance programs across multiple sites or facilities.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to foster a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.

Red River Commodities and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all employment practices within our organization. Red River Commodities makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

We are committed to maintaining a legal and compliant workplace. As part of our hiring process, Red River Commodities participates in the E-Verify program.