FSQA Assistant Manager - Bellingham Plant

Overview

Trident Seafoods is North America’s largest vertically integrated seafood company—partnering with fishermen, employees, and communities to responsibly harvest, process, and share wild Alaska seafood with the world. With deep roots in Alaska and operating across the globe, Trident is a privately held company headquartered in Seattle, committed to nourishing the world while upholding the highest standards for safety, sustainability, and excellence.

At Trident Seafoods, we work together for something bigger than ourselves. From nourishing the world with the best protein on earth to protecting our oceans, serving our fishermen, and supporting communities in Alaska and beyond, here, you’ll find a values-driven culture where your growth matters, your work has purpose and your contributions are recognized and appreciated—because at Trident, we believe meaningful work connects us all.

Responsibilities

Summary:

The Assistant FSQA Manager supports site food safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness at the Anacortes operation. Working in conjunction with the FSQA Manager, this role helps ensure finished products meet company, customer, regulatory, and food safety requirements; supports execution and continuous improvement of Quality Assurance programs; provides day-to-day guidance to Quality Assurance team members; and maintains an active operational presence to verify controls are effective and consistently followed. 

Essential Functions (Responsibilities, Tasks, Supervisory Needs) 

• Supervises, coaches, and supports Quality Assurance team members in conjunction with the FSQA Manager, including daily direction, priority setting, training reinforcement, and coverage support. 

• Assists in ensuring all shipped products meet product specifications, food safety requirements, customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and applicable company standards. 

• Performs and documents audits to monitor compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety procedures, sanitation standards, pest control expectations, labeling requirements, and internal FSQA programs. 

• Verifies critical control points (CCPs), prerequisite programs, process controls, finished product quality, and other key food safety or quality indicators; escalates deviations or repeated issues through established protocols. 

• Maintains a strong working understanding of plant operations and integrates FSQA requirements with production, sanitation, maintenance, warehousing, and shipping activities. 

• Monitors and reports site quality performance, service performance, complaint trends, Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), First Pass Quality (FPQ), and other assigned risk indicators. 

• Supports Product Incident Notification (PIN) awareness, containment, documentation, and cross-functional coordination when food safety, legality, authenticity, or quality risks are identified. 

• Participates in internal, regulatory, third-party, and customer audits; documents findings, gathers objective evidence, supports root cause analysis, and verifies completion of corrective and preventive actions. 

• Trains and oversees site personnel to promote adherence to department protocols, company standards, HACCP plans, food safety plans, sanitation requirements, and audit readiness expectations. 

• Positively motivates employees, reinforces food safety culture, recognizes team contributions, drives continuous improvement through factual and professional communication, and performs other similar or related duties as requested or assigned. 

The essential functions listed above are not exhaustive. The organization may assign other duties as needed to meet business requirements. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. 

Program Ownership & Operational Oversight Expectations:

• Daily FSQA Execution: Supports day-to-day execution of FSQA programs and verifies controls are operating as designed. Evidence of effective execution includes audit-ready records, timely corrections, effective shift coverage, and documented follow-up. 

• Floor Presence & Culture: Maintains meaningful production floor engagement across shifts, reinforcing food safety expectations and process consistency. Evidence of effective execution includes observed engagement with employees, verified control execution, and timely coaching when deviations occur. 

• Communication & Escalation: Provides clear, timely, risk-based communication to the FSQA Manager, Plant Manager, and Support Center FSQA as appropriate. Evidence of effective execution includes concise updates on risks, constraints, CAPAs, PINs, audit readiness, and assigned deliverables. 

• Corrective Actions: Supports high-quality corrective action reports with objective evidence, root cause, preventive actions, and effectiveness checks. Evidence of effective execution includes complete CARs, documented effectiveness checks, closed actions, and escalation of recurring issues. 

• Data & Continuous Improvement: Uses site data and dashboards to monitor trends, COPQ, FPQ, complaints, and quality performance as assigned. Evidence of effective execution includes trend reviews, issue-specific action plans, and measurable improvement activity. 

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Partners with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Support Center FSQA to integrate FSQA requirements into daily decisions. Evidence of effective execution includes documented follow-through, resolved dependencies, and proactive risk communication. 

Trident Seafoods offers a comprehensive and quality benefits package. Full time employees may be eligible for discretionary/performance-based incentives, medical, dental and vision insurance plans, optional HRA/HSA, telemedicine, employee assistance and wellness programs, long-term disability, basic life and AD&D, and 401(k) with a company match, paid time off, 10 paid holidays each year, and paid parental leave.  For full-time employees, the initial paid time off benefit starts at 20 days per year, adjusted commensurate with relevant experience.  Commuter and transit programs are also available.

Qualifications

Travel/On-Call Requirements:

N/A

Required Qualifications (Education, Years of Experience, Certifications):

• Minimum of 4 years of supervisory experience in Quality Assurance, preferably in food production or the seafood industry. 

• High school diploma or equivalent. 

Preferred Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in food science, Biological Sciences, or related field. 

• HACCP certification. 

• SAP experience. 

• Experience supporting regulatory, customer, third-party, or GFSI-recognized audits such as BRC, BAP, SQF, USDC, FDA, or state health authority audits. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 

• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel. 

• Working knowledge of HACCP regulations, food safety requirements, audit procedures, and quality systems. 

• Ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and factually across levels and functions. 

• Leadership & Coaching: Leads, coaches, and develops QA team members; sets priorities; supports coverage; and reinforces consistent standards. 

• Regulatory & Customer Compliance: Applies working knowledge of government, customer, and industry FSQA codes and standards, including HACCP, GFSI-recognized programs, BRC/BAP, FDA, USDC, and similar requirements. 

• Audit Readiness: Maintains records and program execution in an audit-ready condition and identifies gaps before they become findings. 

• Risk Management: Recognizes high-risk trends, repeated deviations, product holds, specification failures, and PIN triggers; escalates timely and objectively. 

• Data Discipline: Uses quality and food safety data to identify trends, prioritize follow-up, and support measurable improvements. 

• Professional Communication: Communicates in a timely, solution-oriented, factual, and non-accusatory manner with FSQA, Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, and Support Center partners. 

Work Environment:

• Work is performed in office environments and manufacturing facility settings that may be loud, wet, cold, or otherwise require personal protective equipment (PPE). 

• The role requires regular interaction with production areas, sanitation activities, warehousing, and processing equipment while following all safety, GMP, and PPE requirements. 

Work Ability Requirements:

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and use hands for extended periods. 

• Ability to climb stairs and ladders and walk long distances in plant environments. 

• Ability to work in production environments requiring PPE. 

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. 

• Specific vision abilities include distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to distinguish shades of color to identify abnormalities and/or defects in food products. 

Additional Information

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship, including F-1 STEM-OPT authorization.

Stay connected with Trident Seafoods online at www.tridentseafoods.com and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube or LinkedIn

Trident Seafoods provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Trident Seafoods and its subsidiaries have adopted a drug-free workplace policy. Working under the influence of Drugs or Alcohol is not permitted.

Employment with Trident Seafoods is contingent upon the candidate maintaining valid immigration status and work authorization throughout employment, with or without immigration sponsorship by the company.

Pay Range

USD $92,200.00 - USD $100,000.00 /Yr.