The Vice President, Quality & Food Safety (QFS) defines and deploys the Canadian QFS strategy to protect consumers, business continuity, and the organization’s reputation. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this leader establishes governance, priorities, and acceptable risk levels; advises senior leadership; and ensures compliance with regulatory, corporate, and customer requirements. The VP represents the Canadian business on the organization’s Global Quality Board and ensures consistent deployment of global quality direction. The function also supports growth, innovation, efficiency, and the development of a strong quality culture.
The work arrangement is hybrid, with three days per week in the office. The role also requires approximately 30% travel within Canada and Europe.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy, Governance & Global Alignment
- Develop, prioritize, and execute a long-term QFS roadmap aligned with the organization’s global strategy and Canadian business priorities.
- Collaborate with global QFS teams to design, prioritize, and implement international quality initiatives.
- Advance an established enterprise quality program focused on food safety, superior products, efficiency, technical expertise, and a strong quality culture.
- Monitor program performance across manufacturing, supply chain, and other functions, ensuring consistent governance and sustainable improvement.
Quality Systems, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
- Ensure operating practices, systems, and governance meet regulatory obligations, global policies, industry standards, and customer expectations.
- Standardize quality governance and processes across sites; measure effectiveness, close gaps, and verify sustainable corrective actions.
- Anticipate regulatory and industry developments, assess business implications, develop compliance plans, represent the organization with authorities, and advise executives.
- Build local quality capability within manufacturing operations and influence site leaders to prioritize continuous improvement.
- Advance opportunities in traceability, digital quality systems, process efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.
Risk Management, Incidents & Customer Confidence
- Lead QFS risk governance across the value chain, including suppliers, co-manufacturers, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and distribution.
- Ensure effective product traceability and lead the response to serious incidents, product withdrawals, and recalls, including crisis coordination, product decisions, communications, and post-incident reviews.
- Provide leadership for customer and consumer quality matters, regulatory requirements, relationship management, and improvement initiatives.
People, Partnership & Financial Leadership
- Lead and develop a high-performing Canadian QFS team, strengthening specialized expertise, succession, and leadership capabilities.
- Partner closely with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, R&D, Commercial, Regulatory, Legal, Communications, and other executive stakeholders.
- Influence priorities and lead cross-functional transformation, including in areas outside the VP’s direct reporting lines.
- Manage the QFS operating budget, forecasting, strategic projects, and investments.
Key Qualifications
- University degree in food science, microbiology, analytical chemistry, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of advanced scientific education and relevant experience may be considered.
- 15+ years of leadership experience in the food industry, including quality, food safety, regulatory affairs, research and development, or operations.
- Experience in food production within a large, complex, multi-site global CPG organization, with the ability to lead quality across multiple operations.
- Demonstrated experience defining QFS strategy, balancing risk and business growth, making complex decisions, and presenting recommendations to senior leadership or a board.
- Proven ability to execute multi-year roadmaps, transform QFS systems and organizations, lead change, and use data to demonstrate results.
- Experience managing high-stakes food safety incidents and crises in complex manufacturing environments.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical issues into clear recommendations for varied audiences. French is an asset, not a requirement.
- Engaging leadership style: builds trust, develops people, promotes collaboration and learning, fosters innovation, and leads by example.
- Ability to influence without direct authority and lead cross-functional change and transformation.
- Strong data analysis, risk assessment, and structured problem-solving skills, including verifying the effectiveness of corrective actions.
- In-depth knowledge of QFS management systems, HACCP principles, preventive control programs, GFSI-recognized standards, and Canadian and export regulatory requirements in multi-site environments.
- Proven ability to manage incidents, withdrawals, and recalls, make timely decisions with incomplete information, and coordinate stakeholder communications.
- Strong grounding in food science, microbiology, analytical chemistry, manufacturing processes, shelf life, sensory evaluation, packaging, and quality by design, applied to risk assessment, innovation, and problem solving.
