Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager

About Cérélia
Cérélia is a leading food manufacturing company with small-town roots. We are dough and batter experts and proudly serve rolled dough, cookies, pancake and waffle products across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Cérélia’s products are commercialized under its clients’ brands, both retailers and industrial companies, as well as under its own brands: English Bay Bakery, JusRol, Croustipate, Jan, Pop! Bakery and Crêapan in particular. While we continue to grow and expand, our history of trade partnership, production excellence, well-founded innovation, and sustainable development is deeply rooted in more than 40 years of industry know-how.

About Cérélia Canada
As part of the global Cérélia Group, headquartered in France, Cérélia Canada partners with major retailers and food brands to deliver high-quality, innovative products. It is committed to food safety, product innovation, and continuous improvement, while fostering a collaborative and dynamic workplace for its employees.

Job Summary:
Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Quality & Compliance, the Manager, Food Safety & Quality Assurance is responsible for safeguarding product quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance at the facility. This position leads the implementation and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System, ensuring that all products are manufactured in accordance with customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and company standards.
The role works closely with Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to proactively manage quality performance, lead audits and customer interactions, investigate quality issues, and develop a high-performing Quality team committed to delivering safe, consistent, and superior products.
This role has direct responsibility for our baked facility and invader warehouse. Other duties or site responsibility may be assigned as required.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (including but not limited to): 1.  F ood Safety & Quality Management Systems

• Actively participate in the development of the food safety and quality management program along with the QA leadership team
• Lead the implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the site's Food Safety and Quality Management System.
• Serve as the designated SQF Practitioner and ensure compliance with SQF, HACCP, GMP, CFIA, FDA, FSMA, customer requirements, and company standards.
• Ensure prerequisite programs, HACCP plans, validation, verification, risk assessments, food defense, food fraud, allergen management, and environmental monitoring programs are effectively maintained.
• Maintain site readiness for regulatory, customer, and third-party audits at all times.

1. Quality Assurance & Operational Excellence

• Partner with Operations and cross-functional teams to ensure food safety and quality requirements are fully integrated into manufacturing processes.
• Establish and monitor quality performance metrics and lead initiatives to improve product consistency, process capability, customer satisfaction, and waste reduction.
• Provide quality leadership for new product launches, process changes, troubleshooting activities, and continuous improvement projects.
• Ensure effective product hold, disposition, release, and non-conforming product management processes.

1. Audit, Regulatory & Customer Compliance

• Lead customer, regulatory, and third-party audits and inspections.
• Ensure timely completion and verification of corrective and preventive actions arising from audits, inspections, complaints, and non-conformances.
• Maintain positive working relationships with customers, regulatory agencies, certification bodies, and suppliers.
• Support customer quality reviews, scorecards, and issue resolution activities.

4 . Customer Quality & Specification Management

• Oversee the development, review, approval, and maintenance of product specifications, quality standards, and customer requirements.

• Ensure products consistently meet agreed customer specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Lead investigations related to customer complaints, quality incidents, and specification deviations.
• Communicate quality performance and corrective action plans to customers as required.

5. Risk Management & Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause analysis and CAPA activities related to food safety, quality incidents, consumer complaints, audit findings, and process deviations.

• Analyze quality data, trends, and performance indicators to identify opportunities for improvement and risk mitigation.
• Champion food safety culture and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the facility.
• Participate in Management Review activities and provide recommendations to improve system effectiveness.

6. Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop the Food Safety & Quality Assurance team.
• Ensure employees receive appropriate training in food safety, quality systems, GMPs, HACCP, allergen management, and customer requirements.
• Establish performance objectives, conduct performance reviews, and support career development of team members.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, engagement, and continuous learning.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5-8 years of related experience in a similar role
• University Degree in food sciences, microbiology, chemistry and food processing experience and knowledge, with relevant food safety expertise
• Ability to improve an organizations people, processes and systems
• Strong communication, facilitation and leadership skills
• Strong analytical ability with a bias for making decisions
• High level of integrity
• Ability to deal effectively with all levels of hourly and management personnel
• Willingness and proven ability to make decisions and hold people accountable for their performance
• Computer skills – Excellent MS Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Leader that measures their own success by that of the company they work for, individuals and teams they lead and professionals they partner with both internally and externally
• HACCP, PCQI and SQF practitioner
• Solid experience with SQF or BRC standards preferred
• Lean six Sigma and/or Lean Manufacturing trained a plus

Core Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Excellent communication (written and verbal)
• Sound judgment and confidentiality
• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Coaching and influencing
• Organizational and time management skills
• Conflict resolution
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Accountability
• Adaptability and resilience
• Continuous improvement mindset

Compensation & Benefits:

• Base salary: CAD $90,000 – $95,000 per year
• 15% annual performance bonus
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits
• Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) with employer contribution/match
• Paid Time Off (PTO)

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity. However, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We kindly request no telephone inquiries regarding the status of applications.

DISCLAIMER : Cérélia is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If contacted for an employment opportunity or testing, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation.