Quality Assurance Manager

Empire Nut Company

Colusa, CA

Pay: $35-$40/hr

Shift: Full time

QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER

**EMPIRE NUT COMPANY**

Department: Quality Assurance

Reports To: Plant Manager

Location: Empire Nut Company

**Position: Quality Assurance Manager**

***Position Summary***

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for leading, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving Empire Nut Company’s food safety and quality management systems. This position provides oversight of quality assurance activities throughout walnut receiving, processing, packaging, storage, and seasonal huller operations to ensure products meet company standards, customer specifications, and applicable regulatory and certification requirements. The Manager serves as the primary quality and food safety resource for plant leadership, coordinates audits and corrective actions, guides employees on compliance expectations, and promotes a culture of food safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

***Key Responsibilities Food Safety & Quality Management***

· Own and maintain the BRCGS Food Safety and Quality Management System, including policies, procedures, program verification, records, and continuous improvement initiatives.

· Oversee the HACCP plan, Critical Control Points (CCPs), prerequisite programs, GMPs, allergen controls, traceability, sanitation verification, and applicable food safety requirements.

· Develop and manage internal audit schedules, facility inspections, verification activities, and follow-up actions; evaluate program effectiveness and report findings to plant management.

· Oversee quality inspections and acceptance criteria for incoming walnuts, in-process materials, and finished products, address nonconforming materials and product disposition in coordination with management.

· Lead traceability exercises, mock recalls, food safety incident investigations, and documentation reviews to verify readiness and identify opportunities for improvement.

· Maintain controlled product specifications, quality records, monitoring logs, and documentation needed to demonstrate compliance and customer requirements.

· Lead investigations of customer complaints, deviations, and product nonconformances; oversee root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), including effectiveness checks.

· Oversee environmental monitoring, sanitation verification, and follow-up on unsatisfactory results, as applicable to facility programs.

· Serve as the primary QA contact for BRCGS, customer, third-party, and regulatory audits, coordinate preparation, audit responses, corrective actions, and closure of findings.

***Leadership, Training & Collaboration***

· Provide day-to-day direction, technical guidance, and accountability for quality assurance activities; coordinate with production, sanitation, and plant management to resolve food safety and quality concerns.

· Develop and deliver or coordinate training on GMPs, allergen control, sanitation, documentation, and other applicable food safety procedures.

· Communicate quality trends, audit findings, risks, and corrective action status to plant leadership; recommend practical process and program improvements.

· Promote consistent application of food safety and quality standards throughout the facility and support a positive, proactive food safety culture.

***Seasonal Responsibility – Huller Operations***

During the hulling season, the Quality Assurance Manager will oversee huller-specific quality and compliance activities, including:

· Ensure accurate entry, verification, and review of huller intake and quality data in tracking systems.

·Coordinate with DFA on inspections, sampling, quality results, and required documentation.

· Oversee timely, professional responses to grower inquiries regarding quality results, procedures, and intake concerns.

· Verify huller sanitation and operational checks and address identified food safety or quality deficiencies.

· Escalate significant quality or food safety concerns promptly to plant management and coordinate necessary follow-up.

·Ensure traceability and intake documentation is accurate, complete, and maintained for all received loads.

***Qualifications & Requirements***

· Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in quality assurance or food safety in food manufacturing, including experience coordinating programs or leading quality activities; nut industry, produce, or agricultural commodity experience preferred.

· Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, allergen control, traceability, and BRCGS or another GFSI-recognized food safety standard.

·Experience with internal audits, corrective action investigations, documentation control, and third-party or regulatory audit preparation.

·Demonstrated ability to guide employees, coordinate cross-functional activities, communicate expectations, and resolve quality issues.

·Education in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related discipline preferred but not required; equivalent relevant experience considered.

·Strong organ