Quality Manager

Quality Manager

Bay Cities has an exciting opportunity for a Quality Manager, where the Quality Manager will lead our quality assurance and quality control activities across Bay Cities facilities to ensure materials, manufacturing processes, packaged products, and finished goods meet internal specifications, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory standards. This role oversees quality systems, prerequisite programs, inspections, audits, non-conformance management, product release, quality reporting, and the development of Quality personnel. The manager partners closely with Production, Warehouse, Logistics, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders to protect product integrity, reduce defects, and drive continuous improvement.

Bay Cities, an Employee-Owned Company, is the leading creative packaging and display partner to brand marketers, retailers and e-commerce. Our passion, experience, technology and consumer insights move product and drive sales.

Our Mission

Our Passion Powers Your Product

Our Values

Creativity: Our ideas create Client success.

Passion: We have heart with a Customer Service attitude.

Integrity: We honor our business & planet with sustainable practices.

Responsible: We own it!

Safe: Our safe work habits protect us all.

Fun: We take our work seriously- not ourselves

JOB FUNCTION/PURPOSE

To ensure consistent product quality and regulatory compliance through effective quality systems, inspection and testing processes, accurate documentation, timely issue resolution, and continuous monitoring of manufacturing performance

Quality Systems & Regulatory Compliance: Develop, implement, monitor, and maintain quality assurance and quality control procedures that support company standards, customer requirements, and applicable industry regulations, including ISO, FDA, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), as applicable.

QC Operations & Inspection Oversight: Lead incoming material, work-in-process, packaging, labeling, and final inspections across production stages and facilities; develop inspection plans and sampling protocols; and ensure inspection records are complete and accurate.

Product Release & Traceability: Oversee the QC Hold area (RA), product release protocols, labeling verification, and traceability requirements, including the accuracy of batch, lot, and expiration information when applicable.

Non-Conformance & Corrective Action Management: Investigate quality-related holds, defects, and non-conformances; lead the Material Review Board (MRB) process and product disposition; and partner with QA, Production, and other teams on root cause analysis, corrective actions, and rework disposition.

Audit Management: Plan and conduct internal quality audits and coordinate external audits by customers, regulatory agencies, or third-party auditors. Prepare documentation, support audit readiness, communicate findings, and track corrective actions through closure.

Documentation, Data & Reporting: Maintain accurate quality inspection, corrective action, calibration, and compliance records. Manage inspection logs and quality dashboards; report defect trends, scrap rates, product acceptance rates, and other quality metrics to management; and recommend improvements based on data.

Equipment & Calibration: Monitor and ensure the calibration, proper use, and maintenance of inspection tools and laboratory instruments.

Supplier Quality Management: Collaborate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to verify the quality and integrity of materials used in manufacturing and packaging processes and to address supplier-related quality concerns.

Customer Complaints & Credit Review: Support customer complaint investigations and provide inspection, rework, and other technical quality data for customer credit review and claim validation.

Team Leadership, Training & Development: Supervise, coach, and mentor Quality personnel across shifts or facilities. Assess training needs and provide instruction on inspection methods, defect criteria, quality procedures, equipment use, company policies, and regulatory requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Production, Warehouse, Logistics, Accounting, and other departments to resolve quality issues, improve manufacturing and packaging processes, and prevent recurrence.

Continuous Improvement: Identify and lead opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, documentation, and process control while reducing defects, waste, downtime, and customer complaints.

Requirements

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

Education

Bachelor's degree in Quality Assurance, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

Advanced coursework or certifications such as Six Sigma or ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) preferred.

Experience

Six to ten years of progressive experience in quality control, manufacturing quality assurance, auditing, or production quality management; experience in the corrugated or packaging industry preferred.

At least three years of experience in a managerial or supervisory capacity overseeing quality inspectors, technicians, or related personnel.

Experience in high-volume manufacturing environments involving corrugated, flexographic or digital printing, packaging, and/or conversion operations.

Demonstrated experience with inspection planning, sampling plans, audit preparation, non-conformance investigations, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and product disposition.

Knowledge of applicable quality and regulatory standards, including ISO, FDA, GMP, HACCP, and SSOP requirements, as relevant to the business.

Bilingual English/Spanish required.

Valid driver's license with evidence of a satisfactory driving record required.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Strong understanding of quality assurance and quality control principles, inspection tools, calibration, sampling techniques, visual standards, and measurement equipment.

Proficiency in quality documentation, inspection records, defect tracking, dashboards, and reporting; proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with ERP or QMS software.

Strong leadership, coaching, and training skills, with the ability to build a capable Quality team and assess employee competency.

Excellent analytical, mathematical, problem-solving, root cause analysis, organizational, and project management skills.

Clear verbal and written communication skills, strong interpersonal judgment, and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

High ethical standards and a demonstrated commitment to Bay Cities' mission and values, including ownership, customer service, teamwork, safety, creativity, and continuous improvement.

Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects with accuracy, urgency, adaptability, and strong results orientation in a rapidly changing environment.

OTHER

US Persons Only (US citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees - all require proper identification and documentation).

Local travel to Bay Cities facilities in the Los Angeles area is required based on business needs.

Physical and Environmental Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear; frequently required to stand and sit; and occasionally required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision and color vision.

Work environment includes front-office and manufacturing settings. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Pre-Employment Verifications: Must pass background and reference checks, drug screen, and physical examination prior to employment.

Bay Cities Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer