Job Description
COMPANY OVERVIEW Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods (COSFF) is a leading importer and marketer of frozen and refrigerated seafood in North America. Founded in 2006 to build on the heritage of the iconic Chicken of the Sea brand, COSFF has grown into one of the top U.S. shrimp importers with a strong presence in crab meat, tuna, and value-added seafood products across all trade channels. A wholly owned subsidiary of Thai Union – one of the world’s largest seafood companies and a global sustainability leader ranked #1 in the Food Products Industry on the 2024 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) – COSFF is guided by Thai Union’s SeaChange® strategy and its vision of “Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans.” Headquartered in El Segundo, CA, COSFF blends a dynamic, entrepreneurial culture with a deep commitment to sustainability and innovation. Our six core values of Collaboration, Responsibility, Innovation, Respect, Humility, and Passion define who we are and how we lead the industry forward. Position Overview The Quality Assurance & Operations Packaging Leader is a strategic leadership role responsible for the development, execution, and continuous improvement of quality systems and packaging initiatives for Thai Union’s global frozen and perishable seafood business. With responsibility for a cross-functional team of over 10 across five countries, this role ensures product safety, strict regulatory compliance, and packaging consistency across a highly complex supply chain involving international manufacturers, suppliers, co-packers, and customers. The Director serves as the central authority on quality and packaging, driving operational excellence, supporting business growth, mitigating risk, and maintaining absolute customer and regulatory confidence. Salary for this role is targeted between $140,000-$160,000 DOE Core Responsibilities 1. Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance Lead and manage a global QA team of ~10 across India, Thailand, Indonesia, the USA, and Canada, establishing a unified standard of excellence. Oversee and continuously improve the corporate QA system to ensure strict compliance with FDA, BRC, SQF, CFIA, and international regulatory frameworks (GFSI recognized schemes). Manage comprehensive QA programs and documentation for all imported and distributed products, specifically focusing on the cold chain integrity of frozen and perishable seafood. Develop, enforce, and modernize food safety programs, including HACCP, allergen management, and rigorous recall readiness. Ensure strict compliance with FSMA regulations, specifically managing FSVP requirements and preparing for FSMA 204 (Food Traceability) compliance. Oversee packers and supplier quality performance, executing global inspection and audit programs, managing corrective actions (CAPA), and maintaining annual vendor scorecards. Respond to customer quality concerns and complaints, leading root-cause investigations to resolve issues rapidly and prevent recurrence. Provide mandatory QA input during new vendor onboarding, sourcing initiatives, and product development lifecycles. 2. Packaging Strategy & Management Lead the comprehensive packaging strategy, execution, and compliance for both branded and private-label products. Oversee the design, specification, and approval workflows for all packaging materials, ensuring structural integrity and compliance. Coordinate vendor sourcing, packaging transitions, inventory planning, and seamless packaging management to prevent supply disruptions. Maintain a strictly version-controlled packaging library using SAP, SharePoint, and Box to ensure regulatory and brand accuracy. Collaborate with Procurement, Marketing, Commercial and Operations to navigate packaging deliverables, aggressive launch timelines, and artwork approvals. Negotiate with packaging vendors and agencies to control material costs, manage lead times, and drive value engineering. Champion sustainability initiatives, ensuring compliance with emerging laws and driving corporate waste/plastic reduction goals per the company’s sustainability goals. 3. Operational Performance & KPI Management Develop and maintain executive-level scorecards covering: Audit pass rates (regulatory, internal, customer, and GFSI). Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), including reduction in product complaints, recalls, and packaging defects. Timeliness, accuracy, and cost-efficiency of packaging rollouts. Compliance with FSVP and vendor documentation requirements. Track and report on macro QA and packaging trends, implementing preventive strateg