Defect Manager Jobs in Wadena, MN (NOW HIRING)

Overview

Shearer’s Foods, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Massillon, OH, is a leading manufacturer of salty snacks, cookies, and crackers. Specializing in private label and co-manufacturing, Shearer’s is the largest supplier of private brand salty snacks and second-largest supplier of private brand cookies and crackers.

With a strong focus on innovation, service, quality, and sustainability, Shearer’s has been awarded the food industry’s highest award for environmental sustainability, as well as multiple Supplier of the Year awards.

Operating 16 locations across North America and employing more than 5000 team members, Shearer’s is driven by its core values of People, Grow, Impact and Win. The company mission is to deliver exceptional products and services that make snacking a time to celebrate for our customers, colleagues, and community.

At Shearer’s Foods, we believe in a skills-first approach to recruitment and employment. This means focusing on what you can do and how you can grow, rather than traditional metrics alone. We are committed to adhering to anti-exclusion practices, removing barriers to access, and enhancing opportunities for all individuals based on merit and potential. Your skills, experience, and perspective are valuable—and we want to empower you to make your mark here with us. 

Responsibilities

Sr. Manager of Quality & Food Safety

The Sr. Manager of Quality & Food Safety is responsible for leading the quality assurance, and food safety program at our Perham, MN facility. This includes working with customers, suppliers, corporate quality team, and manufacturing staff to ensure every product consistently delivers on safety, quality, and brand promise. You will own the site’s quality and food safety systems end-to-end, translating customer expectations and regulatory requirements into actionable standards, disciplined execution, and continuous improvement across the plant. Manage, coach and develop 4 quality team members (Technicians and Supervisors) to act as trusted advisors and problem-solvers on the production floor. This role is a senior leadership position reporting to the Plant Director.

Your seat at the table:

• Lead and continuously improve the site’s Quality and Food Safety Management Systems, including SQF (Safe Quality Foods), Food Safety Plan, GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of all products manufactured by the plant as well as the raw materials, packaging materials, and operations required in the manufacturing process including quality specifications and standards.
• Monitor, support and enforce all Shearer’s Foods food safety processes and procedures. This includes all AIB standards, SQF standards, and customer specific standards as identified in supporting documentation.
• Serve as the SQF Practitioner and Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). Participate in weekly Food Safety Inspections.
• Act as a key member of the Food Safety Team, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated proactively.
• Investigate and respond to customer complaints. Track complaint and reacts to emerging issues or trends engaging the appropriate functions and process owners (i.e. production, maintenance, PD, etc.) to resolve.
• Ensure all programs are designed and executed to protect the consumer and ensure audit readiness at all times.
• Oversee sanitation and prerequisite programs to ensure hygienic design and execution across the facility.
• Develop and leverage data-driven insights (SPC, trend analysis, defect tracking) to improve performance and reduce variability.
• Establish and align quality objectives with plant and corporate goals, balancing consumer protection, efficiency, and cost.
• Drive structured problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives focused on defect reduction and customer satisfaction.
• Build a culture of ownership where quality is everyone’s responsibility,
• Partner with operations to embed quality at the source, minimizing reliance on inspection.
• Deliver training programs that connect frontline work to real customer impact and brand reputation.

Qualifications

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.