Quality Manager (2nd Shift)

Position Summary

The 2nd Shift Quality Manager provides on-shift Quality leadership and decision-making support for production and Quality operations. This position ensures timely response to food safety and quality concerns, appropriate product disposition/hold decisions, escalation of significant plant/quality issues, and effective communication and handoff to the Quality Manager and Plant Leadership Team.

This position reports to the Quality Manager and directs professional quality positions as well as staff laboratory technicians. This role is also responsible for supporting the Quality pillar within the Plant Leadership Team in support of continuous improvement. The 2nd Shift Quality Manager will develop partnerships with Daisy’s Technical Services group and our Research and Development Team.

The major responsibility of this position is to ensure the manufacturing facility operates within Daisy Brand’s quality assurance requirements as related to production, processing, transport, storage, distribution, and supply of raw materials/ingredients used to manufacture finished products. Daisy Brand’s management has Food Quality and Food Safety Systems in place to ensure the company supplies safe, quality food while defining the methods used to comply with customer and regulatory requirements and continually improving the food safety and quality management system. The 2nd Shift Quality Manager ensures that all products produced at the manufacturing location meet food safety and food quality specifications and are suitable for release to market.

Location and Travel Requirements

The position is currently located at a temporary office in Ames, IA. Expected in 2028, upon completion of construction, the position will be moving to be onsite at our new manufacturing plant in Boone, IA.

Key Responsibilities

Management and Leadership

• Managerial responsibility includes ensuring production quality at the facility
• Manage Quality Department budgets, including requisition approval and reconciliation
• Provide oversight, manage and develop quality documentation for the facility and products
• Serve as the site's legal point of contact for all quality-related government regulatory affairs
• Development of Quality team members through training programs (new hire and ongoing)
• Liaison between Production, Technical Services, and Research and Development

Systems and Methodologies

• Provide investigative support and respond to Consumer Complaints processes
• Develop and enhance quality programs that support Daisy Brand beliefs (Pure & Clean)
• Drive continuous improvement of the quality programs through learning and education
• Responsible for the integration of Quality systems with other high performance work systems
• Oversee quality methodologies, systems coordination, and Statistical Process Control
• Maintain and implement HACCP, HACQP, FSMA and Food Defense plans

Technical Support

• SQF Practitioner, responsible for annual verification-validation of SQF system requirements
• Supervise Quality Technicians, ensuring their qualification to conduct testing
• Manage outside services, pest control, 3rd party lab testing, and lab equipment maintenance
• Maintain the hold/release database system for Finished Goods and Raw Material holds
• Support business and plant initiatives, guaranteeing compliance to all quality requirements
• Provide technical support and guidance for existing and new product development

SQF Responsibilities

The role is responsible for the protocol used to develop and implement new methods and assign responsibility as well as the criteria for verifying and validating the programs and/or activities outlined below:

• Pre-Requisite Programs
• Critical Food Safety and Quality Limits
• Monitoring Activities for:
  • Pre-Requisite Programs
  • Critical Control Points
  • Critical Quality Points
  • Other Food Safety Programs
  • Sampling, Inspection and Analysis
  • Raw Materials
  • Finished Product
  • Work In Progress
• Scheduling and Conducting Internal Audits

The 2nd Shift Quality Manager is the backup SQF Practitioner for their facility, with responsibility and authority to:

• Lead the development and implementation of food safety fundamentals, food safety plan and food quality plan as outlined in the standards;
• Oversee the development, implementation, review and maintenance of the SQF System;
• Take appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the SQF System;
• Communicate all essential information to relevant personnel to ensure the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF System.

 Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education and Experience

• S./M.S. in Food Science/Dairy Product Technology or a technical equivalent (Food Microbiology, Chemistry with relevant industry experience).
• Five to ten years of QA/QC Industry experience practicing Quality Systems Management at a food manufacturing facility.
• Excellent management, planning, organizational, and formal writing skills
• Formal education (including short courses) on GMP, SQF, TQM & HACCP, 6-sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical and applied problem-solving skills
• Familiarity with cultured dairy products, procedures, and equipment
• Excellent computer skills
• Excellent personal organizational skills
• Ability to train and motivate others

Company Overview

Daisy Brand is the market leader in two billion-dollar categories – sour cream and cottage cheese. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, we’ve earned the trust of Americans through consistency and quality across five generations as a family-owned company. Our success has been guided by a simple belief: good food, much like good work, starts with integrity. That mindset continues to shape how we make our products, run our business, and support the people behind the brand.

At Daisy Brand, tradition and innovation go hand in hand. We invest thoughtfully in advancements that strengthen our products and operations, supporting responsible, long-term growth. In 2025, we broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Boone, Iowa, further strengthening our supply chain alongside our established plants in Garland, Texas; Casa Grande, Arizona; and Wooster, Ohio. Looking ahead, our state-of-the-art Innovation Center, opening in 2026, will bring together research, food science, culinary, and technology teams to shape the future of our products. Recent work from these teams includes the development of the squeeze pouch and new line of dips, reflecting an intentional approach to modernization while staying true to the quality our consumers expect.

At the heart of Daisy Brand is its people. The company is intentionally structured to be collaborative and accessible, with an entrepreneurial mindset encouraged at every level. We hire with the goal of building long-term careers and provide an environment where employees are trusted to think critically, take initiative, and continue learning. Growth here isn’t accidental; it’s actively supported and shared.

To support our employees and their families, Daisy Brand offers a people-first benefits package that includes:

• A no deductible, $0 premium option for employee only medical coverage
• Access to virtual healthcare and wellness programs
• A 401(k) program with company match, plus weekly safe harbor and annual profit-sharing contributions
• Company paid short and long-term disability coverage and 2x annual salary in life and AD&D insurance
• Four weeks of paid time off, plus 20 hours of floating holidays in your first full year of employment
• Annual rollover and payout options for any unused paid time off
• Paid time for volunteering and community involvement
• Tuition reimbursement and ongoing professional development opportunities
• Fitness and wellness incentives
• And more.

 Daisy Brand is a nicotine-free company. Daisy Brand is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Veterans and disabled encouraged to apply.