Director of Quality & Food Safety

Groundswell Food Group, Inc (DBA Mitsoh) Location: Leduc, Alberta Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) About Mitsoh Mitsoh is building a new generation of clean-protein foods rooted in tradition and made for modern lifestyles. We are committed to producing safe, consistent, high-quality products while operating under world-class food safety and quality systems aligned with GFSI-recognized standards. We are seeking an experienced Director of Quality & Food Safety to lead Mitsoh's Quality Management System, Food Safety Program, supplier quality, customer quality, and quality continuous improvement initiatives.

Position Overview

The Director of Quality & Food Safety is responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving Mitsoh's Quality Management System (QMS) and Food Safety Program across all operations. This role has the authority to stop production or prevent product shipment whenever food safety or product quality standards are at risk and partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, Product Development, and external manufacturing partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the Quality Management System (QMS).
• Maintain GFSI-recognized certification programs (SQF, BRCGS or equivalent).
• Lead HACCP, Preventive Controls, allergen management, sanitation, environmental monitoring, food defense, food fraud, recall readiness, and crisis management.
• Ensure compliance with CFIA, SFCR, Health Canada, FDA (where applicable), and customer requirements.
• Manage supplier approval, supplier audits, co-manufacturer quality, and corrective actions.
• Establish manufacturing quality standards and lead CAPA investigations.
• Partner on new product commercialization, approving ingredients, labels, specifications, and packaging.
• Oversee laboratory testing programs and approve product release.
• Lead packaging quality initiatives and continuous improvement projects.
• Manage customer complaints, customer audits, and retailer quality requirements.
• Maintain complete product traceability and lot control systems.
• Develop quality KPIs, dashboards, and executive reporting.
• Build and mentor the Quality team while fostering a company-wide food safety culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Microbiology, Biology, or related discipline.
• 5+ years of progressive quality leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• Experience in GFSI-certified facilities (SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, or equivalent).
• HACCP certification required; PCQI and Internal Auditor certifications are assets.
• RTE meat manufacturing an asset
• Experience leading certification, customer, and regulatory audits.

Core Competencies

• Food Safety Leadership
• Quality Management Systems
• HACCP & Preventive Controls
• Supplier & Co-Manufacturer Quality
• Product Commercialization
• Audit Management
• Traceability & Recall Readiness
• Continuous Improvement
• Cross-Functional Leadership

Key Performance Indicators

• GFSI Audit Scores
• Customer Complaint Rate
• Cost of Poor Quality
• First Pass Quality
• CAPA Closure Time
• Supplier Quality Performance
• Environmental Monitoring Results
• Recall Readiness
• Internal Audit Compliance

What We're Looking For

Mitsoh is looking for a quality leader who believes food safety is non-negotiable and understands that quality is a competitive advantage. The successful candidate will build systems that scale, foster a culture where quality is everyone's responsibility, and ensure every Mitsoh product consistently meets the highest standards of food safety, quality, and consumer trust.