Regional Quality Assurance Manager

At Lakeside Foods and our family of companies, we're committed to providing wholesome foods to enrich people’s lives through food. We are a culture that pursues our vision of growth and innovation with passion, confidence, and commitment. We are strongest together – valuing collaborative contribution, transparency and new ideas to enable change and growth. We are committed to an inclusive and respectful environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance, and there’s a seat at the table for you. Here at Lakeside Foods, our Regional Manager, Quality Assurance plays a critical role in ensuring the safety, quality, and integrity of our products across multiple facilities. This role partners closely with plant leadership and corporate teams to strengthen food safety culture, support audits, and provide technical and leadership expertise across the region. If you’re looking for an opportunity to lead food safety strategy, mentor QA leaders, and make a meaningful impact across multiple operations, we want to talk to you! What You’ll Get Opportunity to influence food safety and quality across multiple manufacturing and storage facilities Flexibility to work from any Lakeside Foods plant location A leadership role with visibility and collaboration across Operations, QA, and Corporate teams Ability to shape and strengthen food safety culture company‑wide A values‑driven, family‑owned company committed to quality, safety, and continuous improvement Competitive pay based on experience Affordable, market‑leading medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) retirement plan with company match Paid vacation and personal time Paid training and professional development opportunities What You’ll Do Provide food safety and food quality leadership and support to facilities within the assigned region Lead and support regulatory, third‑party, and customer audits, including preparation and follow‑up Serve as Food Defense Coordinator, guiding facilities in food defense planning and execution Conduct annual quality systems and process audits and ensure consistent implementation of the Quality Systems Manual Partner with plant leadership on new equipment, new product trials, and commercialization efforts Support plant QA leaders through training, onboarding, vacation coverage during processing season, and technical guidance Act as a subject matter expert in sanitation and environmental monitoring, including mitigation of Listeria findings Assist with product holds, recalls, withdrawals, complaint investigations, and corrective action follow‑up Use SAP and key process indicators to support QA decision‑making and product disposition What You’ll Bring Education & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or a related field preferred OR equivalent experience (10+ years in food manufacturing) Minimum of 5 years’ experience in food manufacturing Strong working knowledge of food safety, quality systems, sanitation, and regulatory requirements Preferred certifications: SQF Practitioner Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI/PQCI) Better Process Control School (BPCS) Certifications can be obtained after hire if not currently held Proven ability to communicate effectively, influence across teams, and build strong partnerships Commitment to quality, teamwork, continuous improvement, and company values Strong PC skills and comfort using systems and data to support quality decisions Where You’ll Work This role may be based out of any Lakeside Foods plant location and includes travel to manufacturing and storage facilities as needed to support operations, audits, and quality initiatives. Why Lakeside Foods Founded in 1887, Lakeside Foods is a family‑owned company with a long history of quality, integrity, and operational excellence. We invest in our people and provide opportunities to grow while making a meaningful impact across the organization. Lakeside Foods and our family of companies welcomes people of all backgrounds and the varied ideas they bring to the workplace. Being an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer is part of our heritage and culture. We recruit, hire and promote employees based on qualifications and merit, without regard to race, religion, age, gender, disability, marital or veteran status. Lakeside Foods participates in E-Verify. Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities Apply To This Job