Quality Assurance Manager - Lucknow District Co-operative Inc. - Ripley, ON

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Quality Assurance (QA) Manager – Dairy Manufacturing (Full-Time)

Location: Ripley, Ontario
Company: Pine River Cheese & Butter Co-operative, part of Lucknow District Co-Operative

About Us

Pine River Cheese is a proudly Ontario-based cheese manufacturer with over a century of experience crafting high-quality dairy products. We produce a range of cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella, paneer, and cottage cheese for retail and foodservice customers across Canada.

We are seeking a Quality Assurance (QA) Manager to lead our food safety and quality programs, ensuring our products meet the highest standards of safety, compliance, and excellence from farm to table.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage all aspects of food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance in the cheese manufacturing process.
• Monitor product quality from milk receiving, processing, packaging, and storage to final shipment.
• Ensure compliance with CFIA, SQF, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), and Canada Organic standards.
• Develop, implement, and maintain the HACCP plan, food safety programs, and SOPs.
• Conduct regular plant inspections, GMP audits, microbiological testing, and environmental monitoring.
• Investigate and resolve non-conformances, customer complaints, and product deviations.
• Train and supervise production staff on quality standards, hygiene, and documentation practices.
• Maintain accurate records for audits and certification renewals (SQF, CFIA, Halal, Organic, etc.).
• Collaborate closely with production, maintenance, and sanitation teams to ensure product integrity.
• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance quality and efficiency.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Technology, Microbiology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 3–5 years of QA experience in dairy or food manufacturing, with a strong understanding of cheese production processes.
• In-depth knowledge of Canadian food safety regulations (CFIA, DFO, Health Canada, SQF).
• Proven experience managing HACCP, GMP, and SQF programs.
• Strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills to guide production and QA staff.
• Ability to work hands-on in a plant environment and make data-driven decisions.

Assets (Preferred but Not Required)

• Familiarity with laboratory testing and microbiological analysis for dairy products.
• Certification in HACCP, SQF Practitioner, or Internal Auditing.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation package based on experience.
• Opportunity to work with a long-standing Canadian dairy brand.
• Supportive and collaborative team culture focused on product excellence and innovation.