Sr. Specialist, Quality Assurance

• Serve as a senior technical SME for the Food Safety Importer of Record (FSIOR) program, ensuring compliance with SFCR and internal quality standards.
• Support the development and execution of the IOR strategy by designing structured processes and scalable frameworks that enhance product delivery and regulatory compliance.
• Lead efficiency and continuous improvement initiatives across the IOR program by identifying process gaps, streamlining workflows, and implementing operational enhancements that create measurable value.
• Act as a change agent, driving transformation in how the IOR team manages workflows, resolves issues, and leverages systems to improve performance.
• Plan and manage key cross-functional projects from initiation through implementation, resolving impediments, coordinating stakeholders, and ensuring timely and successful delivery.
• Oversee and optimize multiple IT platforms supporting food safety import programs, ensuring system integrity, performance, and alignment with business objectives.
• Maintain oversight of data governance and integrity across all IOR-related systems; manipulate and analyze complex datasets to extract actionable insights that support data-driven decision-making.
• Develop testing plans and coordinate validation activities during system updates and enhancements.
• Manage vendor and MSP relationships, exercising direct escalation authority to the Sr. Manager when compliance risks arise.
• Monitor regulatory developments and assess operational impacts; ensure regulatory claim certificates and required documentation remain current and compliant.
• Manage the annual collection and review of non-food factory audits, ensuring third-party supplier compliance and driving corrective action follow-up where necessary.
• Conduct research on industry best practices, emerging tools, and regulatory trends; develop documentation and implementation plans to support program enhancements.
• Create and maintain training materials, templates, tools, and standard operating procedures (SOPs); facilitate training sessions to improve stakeholder understanding and compliance.
• Prepare and deliver clear, impactful presentations and reports to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, enabling informed decision-making.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve strategic program objectives.
• Participate in QMS governance activities, supporting program oversight and continuous improvement.
• Provide technical expertise and leadership on special initiatives spanning compliance, systems, process development, and strategic transformation.
• Any other duties as assigned.

• University education or equivalent in Food Science, Chemistry, Engineering, or equivalent discipline
• Minimum 4 years related work experience in retail or manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to oversee and optimize complex, multi-platform IT environments supporting FSIOR programs
• Leverages advanced data analytics (Power BI, MicroStrategy, Excel) and QMS frameworks to drive system integrity and continuous technological adaptation.
• Working knowledge of Quality principles and Management Systems
• Strong understanding of Canadian regulatory landscape and Health Canada regulations
• Able to work effectively as an individual with minimal supervision and as a team member
• Able to influence and interact effectively with all levels at retail/distribution, vendor and office locations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Effective problem-solving skills
• Straightforward practical way of thinking and problem solving.
• Results oriented.
• Highly organized with a strong focus on detail and accuracy
• Computer skills to produce effective reports, documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
• Communicates well in writing by composing clear documents; ability with editing and/or proof-reading is required.

Loblaw