FSQA Plant Manager (20 Month - Contract)

Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, 'better-for-you' snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun.

We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2030, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.

So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together.

You can learn more about us at www.riversidenaturalfoods.com.

Purpose:

The position ensures successful operation of Riverside’s Food Safety and Quality Management System, is a talented leader with strong coaching, people, and decision-making skills.  They are

PASSIONATE about Riverside’s values and purpose, food safety, quality (delighting our consumers) and always lead with a continuous improvement mindset.

Primary Responsibilities:

Demonstrate and uphold Riverside’s Core Values and purpose.

Take OWNERSHIP of Riverside’s Food Safety and Quality Management System of the plant that they are assigned to.

Establish and maintain food safety and quality standards for processes and products.

Establish and maintain records to measure and track quality performance.

Contribute to the plant team to obtain the maximum (best) rating for all the external audits, like unannounced BRC, customer’s audits, etc.

Lead the voice of our consumers. Always looking for ways to facilitate and/or implement quality systems to provide the best consistent quality product that delight our consumers.

Apply for and maintain regulatory and relevant industry certifications.

Ensure that all regulatory, certification, and internal audits are successfully completed on a timely basis (CFIA, FDA, BRC, Gluten Free (GFCO), Kosher, Organic, Vegan, RSPO, etc.)

Ensure all Private Label (PL) company requirements and audits are always met while continuously building a positive relationship with PL customers.

Complete a formal risk assessment on food safety, quality, food fraud and vulnerability for all new raw material and innovation items prior to launch approval

Support the R&D Team with the development, validation, training, monitoring and accuracy of all critical parameters (CTP, CTQ, CTC). Support the definition of sampling plan for CTQs- Critical to Quality parameters.

Demonstrate leadership in quality and continuous improvement

Oversee the plant food safety and quality assurance TEAM to ensure all required internal documentation and regulatory records are kept up to date

Coordinate with Marketing, Sales and Customer Service to respond to consumer and customer complaints and enquiries.

Facilitate root cause analysis and support the plant leadership in implementing corrective and preventative actions in a RESPECTFUL manner for all quality and food safety complaints.

Perform vital managerial functions:

Monitor, train, cross train, coach, and mentor staff. Manage hiring, performance evaluation, discipline and termination of staff.

• Demonstrating HUMILITY by displaying good leadership by helping the TEAM succeed
• Coordinate training and coaching of plant staff in processes and procedures related to quality during the manufacturing process
• Manage quality related communication across all departments in the plant
• Ensure continuous improvement
• Keeps the work atmosphere FUN by keeping it light and welcoming
• Other duties as assigned

Education and Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Technology or other related fields
• 7+ years comprehensive food safety and quality experience with an extensive background in manufacturing food industry
• Strong knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HACCP principles, BRC standards, quality improvement tools and root cause analysis

Good understanding of food regulations for Canada, the U.S.

Good understanding of process variability, process capability and SPC.

GFSI, PCQI, HACCP, and internal audit certification and previous experience leading the audits preferably BRC standard.

Resourceful and

ADAPTABLE

Skills and Abilities:

Demonstrated management ability, capable of working on and leading a diverse

TEAM

Strong multitasking, analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to identify root cause and solve problems

Self-starter with a high level of initiative and

ADAPTABILITY

Strong planning, organizing and time management skills, detail oriented.

Strong communication skills (verbal and written), including the ability to make presentations and conduct training; and to write policies and procedures.

PASSIONATE individual that has the ability to develop relationships and the business.

Functional & Leadership Competencies:

Leadership Competencies

Definition

Collaborates

Build strong partnerships and work collaboratively across teams to achieve shared goals and drive food safety excellence

Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives.

Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas.

Partners with others to get work done.

Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments.

Gains trust and support of others.

Builds Network

Effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.

• Builds strong formal and informal networks
• Maintains relationships across a variety of functions and locations
• Draws upon multiple relationships to exchange ideas, resources, and know-how

Drives Results

Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.

Has a strong bottom-line orientation.

Persists in accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks.

Has a track record of exceeding goals successfully.

Pushes self and helps others achieve results.

Ensures Accountability

Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

Follows through on commitments and makes sure others do the same.

Acts with a clear sense of ownership.

Takes personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures.

Establishes clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results.

Designs feedback loops into work.

Plans & Aligns

Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.

Focuses on highest priorities and sets aside less critical tasks.

Lays out a thorough schedule and steps for achieving objectives.

Makes implementation plans that allocate resources precisely.

Looks for obstacles and develops excellent contingency plans.

Uses milestones to diligently track and manage the progress of the work.

Optimizes Work Processes

Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement.

Figures out the processes necessary to get things done.

Separates and combines tasks into efficient and simple workflow.

Thinks about the whole system.

Focuses efforts on continuous improvement; has a knack for identifying and seizing opportunities for synergy and integration.

Key Accountabilities

Responsibility

KPI/Metric

Target

• Lead and Maintain the Food Safety & Quality Management System for the assigned site
• Achieve and maintain top-tier ratings in external audits (BRC AA rating), 100% on-time completion of regulatory audits
• 100% compliance with regulatory and certification requirements; Zero critical findings in audits annually
• Lead the FSQA Team and Drive Continuous Improvement
• % reduction in customer complaint; CAPA effectiveness rate: by measuring CAPA closure and recurrence rate (except for oat husks)

20% annual reduction in customer complaint key drivers; minimum 15% reduction in internal Holds / rejects due to Foreign Material;  ≥90% CAPA closure rate based on agreed completion date.

• Foster a Positive Culture and Strong Leadership
• Maintain turnover below 30% annually; Employee Engagement Score; Training Completion
• Below 30% turnover; 100% training completion on onboarding
• Food safety culture and training
• Improve positive food safety culture across the company Educate/Training BRC Unannounced audit achievement
• 100 % planned training compliance
• ≥ 15 % reduction in non-conformances
• • ≥ 20 % increase in proactive FSQA hazard reporting by plant teams vs FY2025 (Lead)
• Program updates and improvements
• % of planned program updates & implemented improvements
• >80% updates & improvements (reduced deviations)

Please note this role is an existing vacancy.

What we expect:

Values-led:

You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun. Sometimes, even making granola bars is hard, and life’s too short to take ourselves so seriously that we don’t enjoy the journey.

Unparalleled experiences and opportunities

: We’re still determining who we are and what we can be. Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future. This means rolling up your sleeves and sometimes building the process – fast! – while employing it. At Riverside, progress occasionally means proceeding imperfectly, and we’re okay with that, as long as we’re staying true to our values and learning and improving along the way.

Access to everyone:

We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff. Even when employees dress up, they wear steel-toed shoes. So don’t be shy. Speak up, share your ideas and go places you normally wouldn’t – like the plant, or the boardroom.

Personal development

: We’ll support and empower you to chart your own path and reach any heights you set for yourself. Career paths at Riverside are carved by the people walking on them, not dictated by leaders. Count on us to give you the training and tools to grow and progress.

Gratitude

: As a growing business, we can’t always offer formal recognition like awards programs, but we do show our true gratitude and appreciation. At Riverside, we’re all in this together and we value you.

Be a Riverside Brand Ambassador:

Stay relentlessly close to our consumers and represent the brand in every interaction, decision, and deliverable. Bring the consumer voice into your work by protecting product quality, availability, and experience, acting early when standards slip, and delivering consistent value that earns trust, advocacy, and long-term brand love.

What We Offer:

Values-led:

We don’t cut corners or step on anyone or anything on our way to our summit. There is no winning at all costs here. Every step you take must align with our values, no compromises.

Courageous determination:

As a family-run, rapidly growing business, we are often challenged to find ways to deliver that aren’t obvious or easy. You must be willing to try, ask and answer challenging questions, test and learn, turn over every stone, keep moving forward and help us find a way through. Resourcefulness and grit will be your constant companions at Riverside and will serve you well.