Associate Director of Ingredient Quality & Continuous Improvement

HelloFresh is a leading global food solutions company dedicated to revolutionizing the way people eat by providing high-quality, convenient meal kits that cater to a variety of meal occasions. Established over a decade ago, HelloFresh has expanded to operate across 18 countries on three continents, demonstrating a robust presence in the food delivery and meal kit industry. The company’s mission centers on offering customers fresh ingredients combined with exciting, easy-to-follow recipes that support healthy, sustainable eating habits. This mission has been supported by a suite of diverse brands under the HelloFresh Group umbrella, including Green Chef, EveryPlate, Chefs Plate, Factor, and Youfoodz, creating a broad spectrum of meal kit options that appeal to a wide customer base.

HelloFresh is currently seeking an Associate Director of Ingredient Quality and Continuous Improvement for its North American operations. This is a pivotal leadership role focused on enhancing ingredient quality standards and spearheading continuous improvement initiatives throughout the supply chain. The position is not a traditional desk job but rather a hands-on leadership role requiring active participation across all levels of operational execution. The successful candidate will be the chief architect for quality program design and implementation, tasked with identifying systemic quality issues and leading the end-to-end delivery of solutions that improve product quality from supplier to customer.

This role demands a strong strategic and tactical mindset. The Associate Director will develop a unified quality program for the North American network, incorporating standards, systems, and automated tracking processes to ensure consistency across Distribution Centers. Operational accountability is a core component, requiring the leader to work closely with plant operations teams to translate quality metrics into practical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure the adoption, sustainment, and monitoring of new initiatives.

The candidate will also own advanced quality reporting functions, evolving current data capabilities into predictive analytics to preempt quality issues before they impact operations. Cross-functional collaboration is essential, acting as the primary quality liaison among Product, Procurement, Operations, and Logistics departments. A continuous improvement mentality grounded in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies will be applied to reduce waste, ingredient damage, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Building and mentoring a high-performance team of quality and continuous improvement professionals is another critical responsibility. The leader will cultivate a culture of accountability, data-driven decisions, and quality excellence, while championing organizational change that advances a quality-first mindset at all levels.

The ideal candidate is an operator at heart, comfortable on the ground solving real-time challenges, with a proven track record of completing complex projects and influencing leadership through data-driven results. Strong communication skills are necessary to convey quality initiatives and performance outcomes effectively across diverse audiences, from frontline associates to executives.

This position offers a competitive salary range of $140,000 to $170,000 USD annually, including eligibility for the HelloFresh equity plan. Additional benefits provided by HelloFresh include a 401K match that vests immediately, generous paid time off policies, comprehensive health and wellness plans effective from the first day of employment, meal plan subscription discounts, and a vibrant work culture emphasizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The role requires travel up to 25% within North American Distribution Centers and a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Supply Chain, or Engineering is preferred, alongside extensive experience in Food Safety, Quality, or Operational Excellence.

HelloFresh is committed to fair employment practices, diversity, and inclusion, providing reasonable accommodations throughout the hiring process. This role offers an exciting opportunity for a passionate leader eager to drive measurable quality improvements and operational excellence in a fast-paced, mission-driven global company transforming how people access and enjoy their meals.