Back to jobs
New

Quality Assurance Manager

Cranford, NJ

Hi, we're Nuts.com!

Nuts.com is a self-funded, profitable, rapidly growing multi-channel DTC specialty food and wellness company with over 550 people on our team. We're changing the landscape of snacking on nuts, dried fruit, chocolate and more! We planted our roots in Newark, New Jersey during the Great Depression, selling premium nuts on Mulberry Street's open-air market. We've come quite a long way since then, taking our multi-generational family business online in 1999. Even after 96 years, we continue to pride ourselves in expertly sourcing the highest quality foods and treating our customers like family.

What's our team like? We're driven, collaborative and entrepreneurial. Energy and passion power our business and we look for candidates who share in that excitement to help us continue to build something special.

The role:

The Quality Assurance Manager will be responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining robust food safety and quality management systems that strictly comply with all regulatory requirements and company standards. Success in this role demands a professional who thrives in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, spending the majority of your time directly on the production floor.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience with food quality and safety systems, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance, FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), comprehensive record-keeping/documentation, employee training, problem-solving skills and change management within a food processing environment. This position reports directly to the Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. In the absence of the Quality Assurance Manager the Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance Manager will act as a back up.

What you'll do:

Food Quality Assurance & Compliance

  • Ensure all manufacturing processes, raw materials, packaging, work-in-process (WIP), and finished products consistently meet internal quality standards, regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA FSMA), and recognized food safety certifications (e.g., HACCP, GFSI, SQF, Gluten-free, Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher).
  • Lead root cause analysis investigations for food safety and quality deviations, implementing effective Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPAs).
  • Manage internal and external food safety and quality audits, ensuring audit readiness and compliance.
  • Manage Food Defense Team activities and continuous improvement and maintenance of the Food Defense Plan.

Customer & Product Quality

  • Own and drive improvements in customer complaints metrics directly related to product quality and food safety.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Customer Experience (CX), Merchandising, and Sales, to investigate product-related exceptions and recurring quality defects.

System Integration & Oversight

  • Ensure the seamless integration and coherence of established Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) programs with on-floor operational processes.
  • Provide dedicated oversight for critical processes, including Allergen Control, Hygienic Zoning, Pest Control, GMP Audits, KPIs, Sanitation support, Pre-Operational Inspections, Line Changeovers, Line Clearances, Quality-focused Inventory Audits, Production Line Audits, and Fulfillment Audits.
  • Manage and drive improvements in Material Review Board (MRB) processes.
  • Own and drive improvements in Product Hold and Release processes, audits, and compliance.

Documentation & Record Keeping

  • Create, maintain, and manage comprehensive food safety and quality documentation.
  • Partner closely with FSQA and operations managers to develop and update policies, procedures, process flow diagrams, KernelWeb (KW), GMPs, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and work instructions aimed at enhancing product quality, reducing defects, and improving food safety adherence.

Training & Development

  • Develop and deliver comprehensive training programs for production staff and management on food safety, SQF system, quality assurance principles, GMPs, and revised procedures.
  • Create engaging training materials and conduct regular sessions to foster a strong food safety culture.

Continuous Improvement & Project Management

  • Actively participate in and lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on enhancing food safety, food safety culture, quality, and operational efficiency within quality assurance.
  • Analyze existing food safety and quality processes to identify opportunities for optimization and waste reduction. 
  • Play a key role in food safety and quality improvement projects, ensuring timely completion.
  • Provide technical support and troubleshooting for food safety and quality-related production issues, collaborating with maintenance and production teams.

Team Leadership

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Quality Assurance associates, championing their professional growth and fostering a highly engaged environment.
  • Step in and assist with other quality roles as necessary to ensure smooth operations.

What you’ll bring:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline preferred.
  • 5+ years of progressive experience in food quality assurance or food safety management within a food manufacturing facility.
  • Demonstrated experience with internal and external audit compliance (e.g., GFSI standards, FDA, FSMA, Organic).
  • Certifications in Internal Auditing, HACCP and PCQI are required; SQF Practitioner or BRC Lead Auditor certification is a significant plus.
  • Strong knowledge of FDA regulations (e.g., FSMA) and other relevant food safety guidelines.
  • Proficiency with Electronic Quality Management Systems (EQMS).
  • Experience with Lean Six Sigma, 5 Whys, and Pareto analysis is highly desirable.
  • Self-motivated, proactive, and possessing a strong business acumen with the ability to navigate challenging situations independently.
  • Knowledge of OSHA protocols in a manufacturing environment.
  • Bilingual - Spanish is strongly preferred.

What we offer

  • A high-growth and rewarding role in a foundationally strong and rapidly evolving business
  • Annual Salary Range: $95,000 - $115,000 plus annual bonus
  • Excellent benefits including a 401K Match
  • Paid Maternity, Adoption and Paternity leave
  • And all the Nuts.com snacks your heart desires + a 40% employee discount

 

EEO STATEMENT

Nuts.com is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, immigration status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should reach out to us at people@nuts.com

 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Nuts.com’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.