Sr. Manager, Manufacturing Quality and Food Safety (QFS)

Job Title: Sr. Manager, Manufacturing Quality and Food Safety (QFS) Location: 405 the west mall About Us: Welcome to Lactalis Canada! We’re proud to be Canada’s #1 branded dairy company and to be consistently recognized as one of the country’s top employers by Forbes. Our purpose is to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians by offering the best of dairy from Canada’s favourite dairy brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia. In fact, our products can be found in over 90% of Canadian refrigerators in any given time. As part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, we remain focused on innovation and quality and are seeking like-minded individuals to join us as we continue our growth journey. What Lactalis will offer: Lactalis Canada believes in rewarding its people with the following comprehensive benefits package and perks: - A Competitive Base Salary - A Performance-Based Bonus System - 4 Weeks of Vacation - Benefits starting day 1 - A Pension Program with an Employer Match at 100% of up to 6% - Tuition reimbursement plan of up to $3,000/year - A Volunteer Day to give back to your community - Learning and Development opportunities - A commitment to internal career advancement with potential for international mobility About the opportunity: General Accountability: The manufacture of safe, high-quality dairy products that meet all Lactalis, regulatory, and customer requirements is essential to Lactalis Canada’s success. The Senior Manager, Manufacturing Quality and Food Safety, supports this mission by overseeing QFS operational and capital budgets, reporting, and major non-conformity processes. Working closely with assigned sites and cross-functional teams, this role drives continuous improvement in QFS performance, ensures compliance with corporate and regulatory standards, and advances the long-term objectives of Lactalis Canada’s Quality and Food Safety strategy. Critical Success Factors: Quality and Food Safety in Operations - Operate as the primary Quality and Food Safety (QFS) leader for the assigned sites and provide strategic support to the Quality and Food Safety Director by overseeing operational budgets, including OPEX and CAPEX planning and execution. - Lead the process of QFS reporting and MNC (Major Non-Conformance Management) processes, partnering with assigned sites to drive QFS performance improvement and lead cross-functional initiatives aligned with Lactalis Canada’s QFS Long-Term Plan (LTP). QFS in Operations information and data management: - Build, manage and improve all reporting activities related to QFS Operations, in partnership with the QFS Data Scientist. - Prepare and deliver monthly dashboards featuring key performance indicators (KPIs) for review by the QFS team, manufacturing sites, and Lactalis Canada senior leadership. - Analyze KPIs and performance trends to provide actionable insights, guiding stakeholders on QFS improvements and identifying emerging risks or opportunities. - Ensure timely communication of KPIs and analysis to all relevant stakeholders, including senior leadership, and facilitate related review meetings. - Drive continuous improvement of QFS Operations information processes by promoting automation and eliminating manual tasks. - Act as a primary point of contact with Laval (FR) Headquarters for all reporting-related topics, ensuring alignment with global standards. - Inspire, coach, and develop the team to foster a collaborative environment rooted in Lactalis Canada’s Culture of Quality. QFS in Operations Productivity and budget-related processes - Lead the capex process for QFS, coordinating with plant quality managers, plant directors, and QFS Operations managers to ensure timely preparation of business cases and capex demands that support QFS compliance and performance objectives. - Monitor execution of QFS-related CAPEX projects, proactively identifying and addressing deviations. - Oversee the OPEX and budget process for QFS Operations, collaborating with plant and operations teams to secure resources necessary for compliance and continuous improvement. - Facilitate and drive budget-related processes with internal teams and key stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment with strategic priorities. - Champion the QFS productivity process, promoting efficiency and cost optimization across operations. Major non-conformity investigation process - Coordinate activities between QFS Operations Managers and Plant Quality Managers to ensure thorough investigations for each major non-conformity (MNC) and implementation of effective corrective and preventive actions. - Monitor the MNC process, including closure rates, process efficiency, and continuous improvement of forms and workflows. - Act as a primary point of contact with Laval (FR) Headquarters for MNC-related topics, representing Lactalis Canada in Lactalis group projects on MNC - Ensure that a One-Point-Lesson (OPL) is issued following the closure of each MNC investigation, distribute to all plants, and maintain the QFS OPL repository. Specific Projects management Lead large-scale, cross-functional, multi-site QFS projects—such as the Powder/Dryer Compliance initiative launched in 2024—driving alignment with the QFS Long-Term Plan (LTP) and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and Lactalis standards. The attributes we are looking for: - Post-secondary education – bachelor’s degree in food science or a related discipline. - Minimum eight (8+) years’ progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing, with significant responsibility for sanitation and food safety - Strong people leadership experience in complex, multi‑site organizations - Experience in quality system development and implementation - Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, and decision-making capabilities. - Strong interpersonal and communication skills to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization. - Competence in supporting facilities in the implementation of quality systems and processes - In depth knowledge of Food Safety Systems to lead quality initiatives (e.g. Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations, HACCP, iAim and GFSI certification) - Auditing skills to effectively audit suppliers, co-packers, warehouses and company facilities to ensure compliance with Lactalis Canada quality strategy - qualified to audit to standards - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including proficiency in root cause analysis and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., fishbone diagrams, Six Sigma). - Solid scientific and technical knowledge in dairy and food science, with a deep understanding of food safety principles. Our ESG commitment: Our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) roadmap drives our sustainability mission. We aim to positively impact communities and the planet by enabling stakeholders including our people, consumers, customers, suppliers, dairy farmers, government, and industry partners to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our communities and the planet through all that we do. At Lactalis Canada, we value our employees as catalysts for positive change. Together, we will create a sustainable future, promote belonging, and make a lasting impact on the world. Our commitment to DEI: Fuel Our Culture with Your Uniqueness! Lactalis thrives on the value each person brings. We're dedicated to amplifying diverse voices, inviting personal and professional growth, and embracing everyone's true selves. We're committed to crafting an environment that genuinely welcomes all, reflecting the richness of our people and communities. We apply an equal access to employment program and invite women, aboriginal people, visible minorities, and people with disabilities to apply. Our promise extends to accessible processes and spaces. If you require accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent), please inform our Talent Acquisition team – confidentiality will be maintained. Note: Lactalis Canada does not conduct credit or background checks through LinkedIn. If required, we'll contact you after signing a Job Offer. Compensation: As part of our commitment to fairness, trust, and transparency and our ambition to be an Employer of Choice, the base salary range for this position is $111,400 – $139,200+. Please note: Along with a comprehensive Total Rewards package, your actual base salary will be fair, competitive, and be based on your skills, experience, and qualifications.