About this role
Quality Assurance Manager – Food Processing (SQF exp. req.) Location: Columbia, SC Salary: $75,000 - $90,000 + Benefits Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, AD&D, Life, PTO + Holidays Job Type: Full Time Typical Hours: Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM Start Date: ASAP Relocation Assistance is available Sponsorship is not available Quality Assurance Manager – Food Processing Description Our client, a respected name in the food processing industry, is seeking a Food Quality Assurance Manager to join their team in Columbia, SC. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for maintaining and enforcing food safety and quality assurance standards across the facility. You'll split your time between the plant floor (50%) and administrative responsibilities (50%), ensuring processes meet or exceed regulatory and internal quality benchmarks. The ideal candidate is a certified SQF practitioner with a collaborative management style and a strong track record of success in quality systems within the food industry. If you're passionate about food safety, process improvement, and leading teams in a fast-paced environment, this is a great opportunity to join a company known for both product excellence and workplace culture. Quality Assurance Manager – Food Processing Responsibilities • Lead and support the food safety and sanitation team • Oversee plant-wide quality control, food safety, and sanitation programs • Coordinate and prepare for third-party, customer, and regulatory audits and inspections • Maintain and enforce HACCP and SQF food safety plans • Review and verify daily monitoring logs, checklists, and quality documentation • Collaborate with the Plant Manager to address quality issues • Conduct training for new and current employees on quality standards and procedures • Manage internal quality systems and ensure compliance with internal controls • Lead preparation for and execution of annual SQF certification audits • Monitor equipment functionality and communicate maintenance needs to management Quality Assurance Manager – Food Processing Qualifications • SQF Certified Practitioner required • HACCP Certification required • Minimum 3 years of quality assurance management experience in the food processing industry required • Strong working knowledge of food safety systems, regulatory requirements, and quality audits required