Guided Search Partners (GSP)
Guided Search Partners is an Executive Search firm built on Trust, Transparency, Specialization, and Long-term Relationships.
We connect high-performing professionals with organizations that value people, performance, and growth—helping leaders find roles where they can make an impact and build meaningful careers.

About the Opportunity

We’re partnering with a newly independent, growth-oriented manufacturing organization at a pivotal moment in its evolution. With a long-standing legacy in animal nutrition and a fresh mandate to modernize, this business is investing in building enterprise-wide systems, elevating standards, and creating consistency across a complex, multi-site operation.

This is a newly created high-visibility leadership role with real authority to shape the future of Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory. The person stepping into this role won’t be inheriting a rigid structure—they’ll be building it. From strategy and systems to talent and culture, you’ll lay the foundation for how FSQR operates across the company for years to come.

If you’re a hands-on, change-driven FSQR leader who thrives in environments where accountability, impact, and ownership matter, this role offers the chance to make a lasting mark.

What You’ll Do

This role blends enterprise leadership with real-world execution across manufacturing sites in the U.S. and Canada.

You’ll:

• Build and lead an enterprise-wide FSQR function, setting strategy, standards, and expectations across all manufacturing locations

• Take ownership of all food/feed safety, quality assurance, quality control, and regulatory activities company-wide

• Modernize FSQR systems, processes, and governance in an environment without heavy legacy structure

• Oversee HACCP / HARPC, preventive controls, sanitation, biosecurity, and traceability programs

• Lead regulatory compliance across FDA, USDA, and CFIA, including audits, inspections, and ongoing readiness

• Own and evolve the Supplier Quality program, including qualification, audits, specifications, and oversight

• Standardize execution across sites, including alignment to GFSI schemes such as SQF, BRC, or FSSC 22000

• Partner closely with Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to support growth, new products, and customer requirements

• Champion continuous improvement and operational excellence, elevating both performance and mindset

• Travel extensively to manufacturing locations, staying connected to operations and building trust with plant teams

Who You Are

You’re not just a systems expert—you’re a builder.

You’re someone who:

• Is self-directed, decisive, and comfortable owning big decisions with real consequences

• Thrives in environments that need structure, clarity, and momentum

• Balances urgency with precision and knows when to push for change

• Enjoys being visible in plants and working shoulder-to-shoulder with operations

• Has the confidence to challenge the status quo while earning trust across functions

• Understands that FSQR isn’t just compliance—it’s a strategic enabler of growth

You’re the type of leader who runs toward complexity, not away from it.

Preferred Experience & Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Biology, Chemistry, or a related field

• Director-level experience, or a Senior Manager ready to step into enterprise leadership

• Proven background in food or feed manufacturing; strong preference for pet food or animal nutrition

• Hands-on experience leading FSQR across multiple manufacturing sites

• Deep working knowledge of FSMA, FDA, USDA, CFIA, HACCP/HARPC, GMPs, and preventive controls

• Experience with GFSI-aligned standards (SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000)

• A leader who has owned both responsibility and accountability—not just influence

• Comfort operating in environments where systems are still being built, not inherited

Why This Role Matters

This position sits at the center of the company’s future.

Your work will:

• Directly impact customer trust, regulatory access, and brand credibility

• Enable entry into more regulated and premium markets across North America

• Shape how quality and food safety are embedded into daily operations

• Influence senior leadership decisions and long-term growth strategy

This isn’t a maintenance role. It’s a foundational leadership opportunity for someone who wants to build something meaningful.

Reporting Structure

• Reports directly to senior operations leadership with dotted-line visibility to the executive team

• Full authority to design the FSQR organization, structure, and future hiring strategy

• Works cross-functionally with Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams