Quality Assurance & Regulatory Lead

Location: Pershing, Chicago | Chicago Metro Travel: 25–50%

Role Summary:
The Quality Assurance & Regulatory Lead 1 is responsible for performing quality and safety verifications throughout production, leading QA technicians/specialists, and assisting the FSQA Manager with maintaining and developing Tovala's internal quality and safety programs. Based at our Pershing, Chicago facility, this role will travel between Tovala's two Chicago-area manufacturing locations to ensure understanding of the Tovala food safety program and help ensure a smooth transition to the new facility expansion.

Essential Functions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Lead and support QA Technicians and Specialists by providing training, guidance, scheduling support, and backup coverage during absences or staffing shortages. Adjust staffing schedules based on production and operational needs.

• Perform routine food safety and quality checks including weight verification, temperature monitoring, sleeving verification, receiving inspections, pre-operational and post-operational inspections, and project changeover swabbing.

• Review FSQA and production documentation daily to ensure accuracy, compliance, and completion. Responsible for holding and releasing questionable products or ingredients and making routine decisions regarding product deviations.

• Conduct and support internal audits and compliance programs including GMP, glass and brittle plastic inspections, environmental monitoring, monthly facility audits, mock recalls, and third-party audits. 

• Lead site environmental monitoring programs, including selecting swab sites, collecting samples, coordinating third-party laboratory pickups, implementing corrective actions and filling out non conformance reports as needed.

• Assist the FSQA Manager in maintaining and continuously improving site food safety and quality systems, including SOP development, CAPA follow-up, customer complaint investigations, product testing projects, internal audits, and employee training for Production and FSQA teams.

• Maintain and enforce site FSQA programs and ensure company food safety and quality policies are consistently implemented and followed. Promote and support a strong food safety culture across the facility.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Production, Sanitation, Inventory, R&D, and Procurement on daily operations, troubleshooting, and special projects.

• Maintain flexibility with scheduling; position is primarily day shift but may require night shift, weekend, or overtime work based on business needs.

• Identify and maintain relationships with the customer service team to address customer inquiries and concerns.

• Conduct reviews of non-conforming material (raw and finished product) to ensure product control is maintained and corrective actions are developed.

• Document quality assurance activities and generate audit reports.

• Administer training and development programs on quality assurance / production team, including recall procedures and special SQF projects.

• Answer regulatory questions and support compliance requirements.

• Assists in establishing nutritional data in coordination with the Research and Development Group as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the FSQA Manager.

Competencies:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and quality management systems.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal speaking skills.

• Detail oriented, accurate and excellent record keeping skills.

• Good judgement and decisiveness skills.

• Ability to read laboratory and scientific reports.

Education, Experience, Licenses and Certifications:

• Associate degree, a Bachelor of Food Science Degree preferred.

• HACCP certification required. 

• 2 years of food manufacturing experience is preferred. 

• Working knowledge of quality assurance tools, methods, and concepts.

• Project management skills.

• SQF and PCQI Certified preferred.

Physical Demands:

• Able to lift, push, or pull up to twenty-five (25) pounds. 

• Able to stand, bend, lift, and move intermittently during shifts of 8+ hours.

• Comfortable working in cold temperature environments in a warehouse and cooler.

• Must be able and willing to work in refrigerated coolers and freezers.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor 1-10 employees.

• Plans, assigns, and approves work.

Food Safety Responsibilities:

• Report any food safety and quality problems to personnel with authority to initiate action.

• Follow and uphold procedures outlined in the Food Safety Plan and the Food Quality Plan and any other programs that support the SQF system and other 3rd party programs/audits.

• Responsible for taking necessary action on all food safety and quality problems reported or observed.

• Ensure a trained designee is appointed to cover for absences or vacancies.

Work Environment:

Production: Space can be crowded with manufacturing equipment. Must remain aware of Forklift traffic. Noisy; some areas can be dusty. May encounter extremes in temperatures.

Facilities: This role will require some travel between both production facilities, with a majority of time spent in the home production facility in Pershing.

Location: Pershing, Chicago | Chicago Metro Travel: 25–50%

Role Summary:
The Quality Assurance & Regulatory Lead 1 is responsible for performing quality and safety verifications throughout production, leading QA technicians/specialists, and assisting the FSQA Manager with maintaining and developing Tovala's internal quality and safety programs. Based at our Pershing, Chicago facility, this role will travel between Tovala's two Chicago-area manufacturing locations to ensure understanding of the Tovala food safety program and help ensure a smooth transition to the new facility expansion.

Essential Functions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Lead and support QA Technicians and Specialists by providing training, guidance, scheduling support, and backup coverage during absences or staffing shortages. Adjust staffing schedules based on production and operational needs.

• Perform routine food safety and quality checks including weight verification, temperature monitoring, sleeving verification, receiving inspections, pre-operational and post-operational inspections, and project changeover swabbing.

• Review FSQA and production documentation daily to ensure accuracy, compliance, and completion. Responsible for holding and releasing questionable products or ingredients and making routine decisions regarding product deviations.

• Conduct and support internal audits and compliance programs including GMP, glass and brittle plastic inspections, environmental monitoring, monthly facility audits, mock recalls, and third-party audits. 

• Lead site environmental monitoring programs, including selecting swab sites, collecting samples, coordinating third-party laboratory pickups, implementing corrective actions and filling out non conformance reports as needed.

• Assist the FSQA Manager in maintaining and continuously improving site food safety and quality systems, including SOP development, CAPA follow-up, customer complaint investigations, product testing projects, internal audits, and employee training for Production and FSQA teams.

• Maintain and enforce site FSQA programs and ensure company food safety and quality policies are consistently implemented and followed. Promote and support a strong food safety culture across the facility.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Production, Sanitation, Inventory, R&D, and Procurement on daily operations, troubleshooting, and special projects.

• Maintain flexibility with scheduling; position is primarily day shift but may require night shift, weekend, or overtime work based on business needs.

• Identify and maintain relationships with the customer service team to address customer inquiries and concerns.

• Conduct reviews of non-conforming material (raw and finished product) to ensure product control is maintained and corrective actions are developed.

• Document quality assurance activities and generate audit reports.

• Administer training and development programs on quality assurance / production team, including recall procedures and special SQF projects.

• Answer regulatory questions and support compliance requirements.

• Assists in establishing nutritional data in coordination with the Research and Development Group as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the FSQA Manager.

Competencies:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and quality management systems.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal speaking skills.

• Detail oriented, accurate and excellent record keeping skills.

• Good judgement and decisiveness skills.

• Ability to read laboratory and scientific reports.

Education, Experience, Licenses and Certifications:

• Associate degree, a Bachelor of Food Science Degree preferred.

• HACCP certification required. 

• 2 years of food manufacturing experience is preferred. 

• Working knowledge of quality assurance tools, methods, and concepts.

• Project management skills.

• SQF and PCQI Certified preferred.

Physical Demands:

• Able to lift, push, or pull up to twenty-five (25) pounds. 

• Able to stand, bend, lift, and move intermittently during shifts of 8+ hours.

• Comfortable working in cold temperature environments in a warehouse and cooler.

• Must be able and willing to work in refrigerated coolers and freezers.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor 1-10 employees.

• Plans, assigns, and approves work.

Food Safety Responsibilities:

• Report any food safety and quality problems to personnel with authority to initiate action.

• Follow and uphold procedures outlined in the Food Safety Plan and the Food Quality Plan and any other programs that support the SQF system and other 3rd party programs/audits.

• Responsible for taking necessary action on all food safety and quality problems reported or observed.

• Ensure a trained designee is appointed to cover for absences or vacancies.

Work Environment:

Production: Space can be crowded with manufacturing equipment. Must remain aware of Forklift traffic. Noisy; some areas can be dusty. May encounter extremes in temperatures.

Facilities: This role will require some travel between both production facilities, with a majority of time spent in the home production facility in Pershing.