Overview
Quality Manager – Food Manufacturing Jobs in Melrose Park, IL at CEO Inc.
Title: Quality Manager – Food Manufacturing
Company: CEO Inc.
Location: Melrose Park, IL
Quality Manager – Food Manufacturing (SQF, GMP, Lab Operations, Continuous Improvement)
Melrose Park, Illinois (Fully Bilingual – Spanish/English)
Candidates must be local to the area to be considered for this role
If you are a quality leader who thrives in a hands-on food manufacturing environment where food safety, compliance, and product integrity are critical every day, this is an opportunity to take full ownership of a plant-level quality function.
We are seeking a Quality Manager to lead all aspects of Quality Assurance and Quality Control within a fast-paced food manufacturing facility. This role is highly visible and plays a key part in ensuring regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement across the operation.
You will oversee lab operations, manage audits, drive corrective actions, and partner closely with production and leadership teams to ensure every product meets strict internal, customer, and regulatory standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a team of Quality Coordinators, Quality Technicians, and Lab personnel
- Ensure compliance with GMP, health and safety regulations, and food safety requirements
- Maintain and continuously improve the site Quality Management System
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using data, trends, and customer feedback
- Develop and maintain standard work instructions for consistent quality execution
- Provide training and onboarding for quality and production team members
Laboratory and Product Quality Oversight
- Oversee instrumentation and physical testing of raw materials, in-process materials, and finished goods
- Ensure accuracy, reliability, and compliance of all laboratory testing activities
- Maintain lab equipment performance, calibration, and spare parts inventory
- Support product validation and quality verification processes
Compliance, Audits, and Customer Interface
- Maintain and support SQF certification requirements
- Lead preparation for third-party and customer audits
- Manage corrective actions and ensure timely resolution across departments
- Complete customer quality questionnaires and support customer audits
- Investigate customer complaints and lead corrective action planning
Continuous Improvement and Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner with operations, production, maintenance, and leadership teams
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions
- Strengthen process understanding across production lines and product flow
- Drive a culture of first-pass quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in food science, Chemistry, or related field
- 3+ years of quality management or supervisory experience
- Experience in a food manufacturing environment
- Strong knowledge of GMP and SQF audit requirements
- Experience with laboratory testing and instrumentation
- Strong leadership and communication skills with customer-facing experience
- Bilingual English and Spanish required
Why This Opportunity
This is a true plant-level leadership role where you will directly impact:
- Food safety and regulatory compliance
- Customer satisfaction and product quality
- Audit performance and certification success
- Team development and quality culture maturity
