Corporate Quality Assurance Manager

ABOUT US

HirexHire (pronounced hire by hire) is a Chicago-based recruiting and talent consultancy that integrates with companies short-term to provide long-term talent solutions. We take a seat in our client’s everyday operations to understand their people goals, gaps, and challenges. We then develop and implement the processes and technologies to execute a sustainable and scalable talent plan.

We partner with companies expecting or experiencing high growth which need to hire at scale or fill a critical role rapidly. Our clients are not looking for quick-fix placements but are thoughtfully building a hiring strategy to scale their businesses.

OUR CLIENT 

Location: Chicago, IL

Industry: Consumer Staple Products, Cannabis

Company Size: 4,000+ Employees

What They Do: Our client in the cannabis industry currently operates in a quarter of the country with double-digit retail locations and a triple-digit growth rate making them one of the fastest-growing companies in North America. As they avidly tackle nationwide development with cultivation facilities, dispensaries, and their headquarters in Chicago – the demand to fill their teams is at an all-time high.

THE ROLE

Our client is seeking a Corporate Quality Assurance Manager to lead quality operations across its production network and ensure sites consistently meet food safety, quality, and regulatory standards. This role will partner closely with Quality, Regulatory, and cross-functional leadership to strengthen quality systems, oversee audits and incident management, drive continuous improvement, and support compliance with FDA, FSMA, HACCP, SQF, and applicable cannabis regulations. The ideal candidate brings strong food manufacturing experience, project management skills, and the ability to work independently across multiple facilities and priorities.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Lead and maintain quality standards, policies, procedures, and programs across the production network.

• Oversee the Quality Incident Management Program, including root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, and effectiveness checks.

• Develop and manage internal audit programs, including remote audits when appropriate, and support site and compliance audits.

• Partner with Quality and Regulatory leadership to ensure facilities meet applicable FDA, FSMA, HACCP, SQF, and state and local regulatory requirements.

• Analyze quality data, trends, and performance metrics and prepare reporting for management review and leadership decision-making.

• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and implement preventative actions that strengthen product quality, consumer safety, and operational performance.

• Provide technical quality support to cultivation and production facilities and contribute to cross-functional quality initiatives and projects.

• Maintain quality documentation and support the company’s electronic Quality Management System to ensure records, procedures, and controlled documents remain accurate and current.

• Support the review and resolution of serious adverse events, customer complaints, non-conformances, and CAPA activities in partnership with internal stakeholders.

• Provide quality expertise and support for team development, hiring, training, and other operational initiatives as needed.

WHAT YOU WILL LIKELY NEED

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, with a master’s degree considered a plus.

• 10+ years of experience in food manufacturing quality assurance, quality systems, or a closely related field.

• Strong knowledge of SQF, FSMA, HACCP, PCQI, and other food safety and quality management systems.

• Current HACCP and PCQI certifications required.

• Demonstrated experience leading audits, investigations, CAPA programs, and quality improvement initiatives across manufacturing environments.

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives across different facilities and stakeholders.

• Experience working with electronic Quality Management Systems and quality documentation platforms.

• Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills with the ability to translate quality data into actionable recommendations.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Visio.

• Ability to operate independently, build collaborative relationships, and maintain a high level of accountability in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must pass any required background checks.

• Must comply with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry.

• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be at least 21 years of age.

• Must be approved by state badging agency to work in the cannabis industry.

• Travel of up to 50% may be required.