Vice President, Quality Assurance

Located in Toronto, ON

 

Vice President, Quality Assurance

Location: North York, ON

Reports to: Senior VP, H&S/QA/Sanitation

About the Company

Join a privately-owned bakery leader with over 40 years of excellence, deeply rooted in a people-first culture that values teamwork, respect and craftsmanship. Our state-of-the-art facilities combine tradition and innovation to produce artisan breads, croissants, bagels, puff pastry and more for domestic and global markets.

About the Company

The Vice President, Quality Assurance is responsible for setting and executing the enterprise-wide food quality and safety strategy across multiple manufacturing sites. This is a high-impact leadership role within a large-scale commercial bakery environment, requiring strong operational oversight, executive-level influence, and the ability to drive a culture of continuous improvement.

 

This role will oversee a large, multi-site QA function, leading a team of 35+ professionals, including direct leadership of Director-level reports. The VP will act as the senior authority on all food safety and quality matters, both internally and externally.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Food Safety strategy aligned with corporate objectives
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing QA organization (35+ team members, including Directors)
• Drive a strong culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement across all operations
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and certification requirements (CFIA, FDA, HACCP, SQF/BRC/FSSC 22000, GMP, etc.)
• Act as the primary point of contact for all external audits (regulatory, third-party, and customer)
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives within QA using Lean, Six Sigma, and other methodologies
• Oversee QA systems including audits, CAPA, traceability, and crisis management protocols
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, R&D, Engineering, Procurement, and Sales to embed quality standards
• Provide executive-level reporting on quality metrics, risks, and improvement initiatives
• Serve as the technical expert and spokesperson on all food safety and quality matters

Leadership & Scope

• Lead a team of 35+ QA professionals across multiple sites
• Direct oversight of Director-level leaders
• Significant influence at the executive level, reporting into the SVP
• Ownership of enterprise-wide QA strategy and execution

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Engineering, or related field (advanced degree preferred)
• 20+ years of experience in food manufacturing QA/food safety
• Minimum 10+ years in senior leadership within a large commercial bakery environment (non-negotiable)
• Proven experience managing large, multi-site teams and developing senior leaders
• Strong expertise in laminated dough products and high-volume automated bakery operations
• Deep knowledge of regulatory frameworks (CFIA, FDA, FSMA, HACCP, SQF/BRC/FSSC 22000)
• Demonstrated success driving continuous improvement within QA functions
• Experience leading and passing complex external audits
• Certifications: HACCP, PCQI required (additional certifications are an asset)

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $ 180,000 - $210,000annually (depending on experience)
• Bonus: 15% Annual discretionary performance bonus
• Benefits: Comprehensive health and dental benefits
• Vacation: Paid vacation annually
• Additional benefits and perks may be discussed during the recruitment process.

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is $180,000 – $210,000 annually, depending on experience, qualifications, and alignment with the role requirements.

Compliance & Equity Statement

Our client is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics.

Recruitment Process & Candidate Information

This posting represents an active hiring need. Only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

 

Please note that AI-based candidate screening or automated decision-making tools are not used as part of this recruitment process.

 

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