Associate, Raw Material Quality

Job summary

The Associate is responsible for the quality control of raw materials and packaging from receipt through disposition, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. They act as a liaison between warehouse, purchasing, and quality assurance teams to manage material performance and resolve non-conformances.

Job details

Village Farms International (Nasdaq: VFF) is a vertically integrated global leader in cannabis and plant-based consumer packaged goods, driven by sustainable innovation. As one of North America's longest-standing produce operators built on decades of expertise, we're a company where growers, innovators, and creators come together to shape the future of high-performing plant-based brands around the world. Joining Village Farms means joining a global team built on purpose, integrity, and ambition. Here, we grow people, ideas, and possibilities. The Opportunity The Associate, Raw Material Quality is accountable for the quality control of raw materials, packaging components, and co-manufactured goods from receipt through disposition. This role bridges warehouse operations and QA, ensuring materials are inspected, sampled, specified, stored, retained, and tracked in compliance with Health Canada Cannabis Regulations, GACP/GMP requirements, and internal quality systems. The Associate owns the ongoing quality health of raw materials over time: maintaining specifications, monitoring storage conditions, trending supplier and material performance data, managing retention samples, and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to resolve and prevent non-conformances. While reporting to the Director, Supply Chain & Logistics for day-to-day operations, the role holds a dotted-line reporting relationship to Quality Assurance. Material disposition authority is formally delegated by, and remains under the oversight of, Quality Assurance What You'll Do Incoming Material Inspection and Disposition * Oversee inspections of incoming raw materials, packaging components, and co-manufactured goods against approved specifications. * Verify Certificates of Analysis, Certificates of Compliance, and supplier documentation for accuracy and completeness prior to release. * Assign and update quality status (quarantine, approved, rejected) in the inventory/ERP system in a timely manner to avoid production delays, exercising disposition authority delegated by Quality Assurance. Specification, Material, and Supplier Qualification Support * Support the development, review, and maintenance of raw material and packaging component specifications. * Coordinate specification changes through change control and communicate updates to affected stakeholders. * Support material qualification activities for new or alternate raw materials and packaging components. * Support supplier qualification activities, including onboarding documentation, qualification status tracking, and supplier audit coordination. * Maintain the specification library in a current, audit-ready state. Storage, Retention, and Traceability * Monitor storage conditions for raw materials, including temperature/humidity control and FEFO rotation to manage shelf life and expiry. * Pull, label, and store retention samples for raw materials and packaging components per SOP; maintain retention inventory and manage timely disposal of expired samples. * Maintain chain of custody and security logs for restricted-access raw material storage. * Support lot and batch traceability requirements at the point of receipt in the inventory/ERP system. Material Performance Data, Trending and Reporting * Track material and supplier performance data, including rejection rates, non-conformance frequency, and CoA/specification deviations. * Trend data over time to identify recurring supplier or material issues and surface them proactively * Prepare periodic reporting summaries for QA and Warehouse leadership, including KPIs such as inspection turnaround time, right-first-time receipt rate, and non-conformance closure rate. Non-Conformance Management * Identify and flag non-conforming materials at receipt and initiate holds and quarantine actions per SOP. * Document non-conformances and escalate discrepancies in quantity, documentation, or physical condition for disposition. * Coordinate with Purchasing and Warehouse on return, rework, or destruction of rejected materials. * Support CAPA activities and investigations related to raw material or supplier quality issues. Stakeholder Collaboration and Training Support * Act as the quality liaison between Warehouse, Purchasing, Production, and Planning on raw material availability and release status. * Maintain the dotted-line reporting relationship to Quality Assurance; escalate quality risks, disposition disputes, and compliance concerns directly to QA, independent of operational reporting lines. * Collaborate with external suppliers and co-manufacturers on documentation gaps, specification alignment, and non-conformance resolution. * Support Supplier Quality Agreements by flagging supplier performance trends to QA and Purchasing. * Provide day-to-day quality guidance and coaching to warehouse/receiving staff on intake requirements. * Participate in internal audits and self-inspections related to receiving and warehouse operations What You Bring * Degree or Diploma in Quality Assurance, Sciences, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience. * 3 to 5 years in a quality, receiving, or warehouse role within a regulated industry such as cannabis, pharmaceutical, food, or nutraceutical manufacturing. * Working knowledge of Health Canada Cannabis Regulations, GACP, and GMP principles. * Working knowledge of quality systems, including document control, change control, deviation management, and CAPA * Experience with specification management and data trending/reporting an asset * ERP/inventory system experience required (e.g., Acumatica or similar platform) * Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy * Ability to prioritize and manage multiple incoming shipments in a fast-paced environment * Clear written communication for inspection records, specification documents, and non-conformance reporting. Life at Village Farms * At Village Farms International, you're part of something bigger — a global organization where you can grow your career across brands, functions, and countries. * We believe It Takes A Village®, and we mean it. * Our values guide every decision we make: Versatility | Innovation | Leadership | Loyalty | Accountability | Grit | Entrepreneurship * What you do here matters — to our people, our products, and the customers we serve around the world. * We've got you covered with company-paid comprehensive benefits and education assistance to support your continued growth. * We embrace meaningful opportunities, collaboration, and continuous improvement as we expand our global footprint. Ready to Grow With Us? If you're passionate about quality, compliance, and bringing world-class products to international markets, we'd love to hear from you.

What you’ll do

The Associate is responsible for the quality control of raw materials and packaging from receipt through disposition, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. They act as a liaison between warehouse, purchasing, and quality assurance teams to manage material performance and resolve non-conformances.

Requirements

Candidates must have a degree or diploma in a relevant field and 3 to 5 years of experience in a regulated manufacturing environment. Proficiency in ERP systems and a working knowledge of Health Canada Cannabis Regulations, GACP, and GMP are required.

Benefits

• Company-paid comprehensive benefits • Education assistance

Listed skills

• ERP systems · Preferred
• Supply chain management · Preferred
• Warehouse operations · Preferred
• Compliance · Preferred
• Quality Control · Preferred
• Inventory management · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Quality control
• Raw material inspection
• Compliance
• Health Canada Cannabis Regulations
• GACP
• GMP
• Inventory management
• ERP systems
• Documentation accuracy
• Data trending
• CAPA
• Change control
• Supply chain management
• Warehouse operations
• Non-conformance management
• Stakeholder collaboration
• Nutraceuticals
• Supplier Audit
• Cannabis Regulations
• Deviation Management
• Supply Chain
• Accountability
• Document Control
• Shelf Life
• Warehouse Operations
• Planning
• Supplier Quality Management
• Chain Of Custody
• Cannabis
• HVAC
• Auditing
• Management
• Good Manufacturing Practices
• Corrective And Preventive Action (CAPA)
• Change Control
• Fast Moving Consumer Goods
• Continuous Improvement Process
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Packaging And Labeling
• Traceability
• Warehousing
• Leadership
• Innovation
• Inventory Management System
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Operational Reporting
• Operations
• Pharmaceuticals
• Purchasing
• Quality Assurance

Job areas

• Manufacturing
• Logistics
• Agriculture
• Science & Research
• Raw Material Coordinator
• Quality Assurance Auditor
• Physical and Engineering Science Technicians Not Elsewhere Classified
• Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers