Quality Program ManagerOakland, CA

At Yerba Madre, we're building more than beverages-we're building a movement rooted in community, sustainability, and connection. As Quality Program Manager, you'll play a vital role in safeguarding the integrity of our food safety and quality programs, while championing collaboration and innovation across the teams that bring our products to life. This role blends regulatory excellence with values-driven leadership, with opportunities to make a lasting impact across our supply chain, product development, and consumer trust.

This role requires working in our Bay Area office at least two days per week, with the flexibility to work remotely on other days.

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  Lead and caretake Yerba Madre's food safety and quality programs-from ingredients and packaging to production and distribution-with a mindset of continuous improvement and integrity.

  
  
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  Ensure we remain fully compliant with FSMA regulations, including Preventive Controls, cGMPs, HARPC/HACCP, allergen and sanitation programs, and third-party audits.

  
  
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  Maintain alignment with Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) requirements, particularly as we continue to grow our global sourcing partnerships.

  
  
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  Be a strategic voice on the cross-functional New Product Development (NPD) team-ensuring food safety and regulatory standards are built into every step from concept to commercialization.

  
  
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  Review and approve new ingredients and packaging materials in partnership with R&D and supply chain, ensuring all specifications meet internal and external standards.

  
  
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  Serve as a trusted internal resource and subject matter expert on food safety trends, regulations, and certifications.

  
  
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  Strengthen and maintain documentation systems (such as TraceGains) to ensure transparency, accuracy, and compliance across our supplier and product files.

  
  
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  Develop and lead meaningful supplier and co-packer audit programs that reflect our values and commitment to quality partnerships.

  
  
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  Contribute to mock recalls and traceability efforts-playing a key role in building systems that protect both our consumers and our brand.

  
  
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  Partner across teams to identify and implement improvements that balance compliance, efficiency, and long-term growth.

  
  

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  Enjoy translating complex regulatory concepts into clear, actionable strategies that help others succeed.

  
  
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  Take pride in being organized, detail-oriented, and proactive-while also being approachable and open to feedback.

  
  
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  Thrive in cross-functional environments where collaboration, communication, and transparency are key.

  
  
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  Bring a continuous learning mindset and see every process as an opportunity to evolve and improve.

  
  

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  Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Nutritional Science, or related field.

  
  
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  5+ years of hands-on quality assurance experience in the food industry; experience with organic or natural products a plus.

  
  
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  PCQI certification required; FSVP training strongly preferred.

  
  
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  Strong working knowledge of FSMA, HACCP, and food microbiology best practices.

  
  
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  Familiarity with TraceGains, Smartsheet, and ERP systems is highly desirable.

  
  
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  Fluent written and verbal communication skills; bilingual in Spanish and/or Portuguese is a plus.

  
  
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  Experience working with co-packers, ingredient vendors, and cross-functional teams including R&D and Operations.

  
  

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  Empathy & Collaboration: Builds trust across teams and creates space for shared problem-solving.

  
  
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  Initiative & Curiosity: Eager to learn, ask questions, and drive change when something isn't working.

  
  
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  Organization & Follow-Through: Manages multiple moving pieces with care and attention to detail.

  
  
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  Resilience & Flexibility: Adapts gracefully to change and remains calm under pressure.

  
  
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  Communication & Influence: Clearly communicates both technical information and broader purpose to diverse stakeholders.

  
  

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  Hybrid work structure with a mix of remote flexibility and time on-site as needed.

  
  
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  Willing to travel up to 30%, with some short-notice flexibility.

  
  
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  Ability to work at a computer, in a lab, and on the production floor.

  
  
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  Occasional lifting up to 25 lbs using appropriate safety measures.

  
  

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a cebador encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Perform work at a computer in a climate-controlled office setting. Work in an open-office environment. Prioritize and multi-task work and projects requiring good memory, concentration, and analytical thinking. Experience frequent interruptions and work under pressure of time with multiple priorities. Frequently work independently but required to interact or perform and communicate with others. Collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information.

Yerba Madre-formerly Guayaki Yerba Mate-is the nearly 30-year pioneer of regenerative yerba mate [yer-bah ma-tay] and the category leader in ready-to-drink mate beverages across North America. The name Yerba Madre, meaning "Mother Herb," is a tribute to Mother Earth and the ancestral wisdom of the Indigenous communities who have cultivated yerba mate for generations -a reflection of the values the brand has championed since day one.

Headquartered in Sebastopol and Venice, California, Yerba Madre sources organic, shade-grown yerba mate in direct partnership with 255 family farmers and Indigenous communities across Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Using its Market Driven Regeneration model, every purchase helps reforest the Atlantic Forest, support fair trade premiums, and build long-term economic resilience for grower communities.

In 2025, the brand became the world's first yerba mate to achieve Regenerative Organic Certified Gold status-setting a new global standard for ecological integrity, cultural respect, and environmental restoration.

As an original founding member of the B Corp community and a founding member of the Purpose Pledge, Yerba Madre is committed to ethical business practices across ten key pillars, including climate positivity, living wages, circularity, and inclusion. Yerba Madre is available in over 45,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit www.YerbaMadre.com.