External Manufacturing, Quality & Food Safety Specialist

Sundays for Dogs is a direct-to-consumer brand transforming the pet food industry with human-grade, air-dried recipes dogs (and their parents) love. We move fast, seek truth, and obsess over making it great. Our team is growing quickly, and we’re looking for dog lovers who want to be part of our mission.

We are seeking to hire an External Manufacturing Food Safety, Quality and Operations Specialist. This role is critical in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of externally manufactured products distributed in the U.S.

We expect this position to work on-site at our co-manufacturer located in the Lincoln, NE area. The role will provide day-to-day operational and quality oversight, while being fully integrated into Sundays’ national Quality & Food Safety team. In addition to quality and compliance responsibilities, this role will also support company administrative tasks as directed by the Director of Quality and Food Safety, helping to ensure seamless execution of team and departmental priorities.

This role is the first of it's kind and has the opportunity to make an incredibly positive impact in our operations. It will report to our Director of Quality & Food Safety.

• Support the development and execution of the Quality Strategy for External Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Distribution.
• Ensure quality systems are implemented and maintained in compliance with FDA, USDA, GFSI schemes, and Sundays’ QFS policies.
• Assess, qualify, and monitor external suppliers and new/potential contract manufacturers for suitability and effectiveness of QMS.
• Apply Quality Risk Management techniques to resolve issues and mitigate risks with suppliers and distribution partners.
• Support audits and regulatory inspections; contribute to CAPA development and timely closure of issues.

• Monitor and ensure GMP compliance at the Diller, NE facility and across external manufacturing and distribution sites.
• Coordinate product testing, release, complaint handling, internal auditing, and supplier management activities.
• Collect and analyze data from audits, customer feedback, and performance metrics to drive process improvements.
• Escalate and resolve quality deviations that may impact supply, product integrity, or customer satisfaction.

• Provide subject matter expertise to internal teams and external partners on food safety and quality requirements.
• Partner with Innovation teams to ensure quality compliance throughout product development and launch.
• Coach and mentor associates to build a high-performance, quality-first culture across the organization.
• Represent Sundays’ Quality perspective in cross-functional forums and project teams.

• Assist the Director of Quality and Food Safety with company administrative responsibilities, which may include reporting, documentation management, scheduling, and other cross-functional tasks to support the broader Quality and Food Safety agenda.

• Education: Degree in a scientific discipline (Food Science, Animal Science, Life Sciences, or equivalent).
• Experience: Minimum 5 years in a regulated industry (pet food, food, or life sciences technology preferred).

• Strong working knowledge of GFSI schemes (SQF, BRC, ISO 22000).
• Lead Auditor certification preferred.
• PCQI certification and FDA/CFIA regulatory knowledge strongly preferred.
• Experience managing quality systems, audits, CAPAs, and supplier compliance programs.
• Proven ability to interpret and apply regulatory and quality guidance.
• Strong communication, leadership, and influencing skills.

• Prior experience in pet food manufacturing or adjacent food/CPG categories.
• Familiarity with innovation-stage compliance and transitioning new products to commercialization.
• Ability to balance regulatory rigor with business needs to enable growth and innovation.

• Unlimited PTO – we trust you to take the time you need.
• Equity program – a chance to own part of the company!
• 401k plan with employer match – invest in your future.
• Annual work-from-home stipend – set up your workspace for success.
• Competitive Medical, Dental, Vision plans – company covers 80%.
• Sundays subscription for your pup! – because we care about your furry friends.
• Parental leave & PAWrental leave – support for growing families, both human and pet.
• Discounted pet insurance – keep your pets happy and healthy.