Associate Director of Quality

The Vita Coco Company, created in 2004 by Co-CEO Michael Kirban and Ira Liran, produces the leading brand of coconut water in the United States with a growing presence around the world.

In 2021, The Vita Coco Company became a publicly traded, Public Benefit Corporation. With a growing portfolio of natural products, The Vita Coco Company has identified its public benefit purpose as creating ethical, sustainable products that uplift communities and do right by our planet by harnessing and protecting nature’s resources.

In 2022, The Vita Coco Company was certified as a B Corporation™ furthering the Company’s commitment toward operating its business as a force for good, while delivering better-for-you products.

Vita Coco is headquartered in New York City with international offices in London and Singapore. The Company is Nasdaq-listed under ticker symbol COCO.

Role Overview

The Associate Director of Quality is a senior leadership role within the AMS Quality & Technical Team, responsible for the end-to-end quality framework across Vita Coco's Singapore operations. This role leads a multi-functional team spanning Brand Quality, Operations-facing Quality, and the Quality Laboratory, ensuring that quality standards are embedded across the full value chain — from supplier to consumer.

The Associate Director of Quality plays a critical role in driving a culture of quality, food safety, and continuous improvement across the organization.

Key accountabilities include:

• Serve as the primary Quality liaison between Singapore operations and global Quality leadership, ensuring corporate strategy is translated into locally actionable priorities.
• Represent local operational realities and constraints in global Quality forums and contribute to the development and review of global Quality policies.
• Champion a culture of quality and food safety across the Singapore Site & Manufacturing network, setting the standard for quality performance at all levels.
• Proactively drive alignment across markets to standardize working methods and ensure consistency across the business.
• Support all new product launches from a quality framework perspective, as required.

• Lead, develop and inspire a multi-functional Quality team spanning Brand Quality, Operations-facing Quality and the Quality Laboratory.
• Set clear objectives, KPIs and development plans for direct and indirect reports.
• Build team capability through coaching, training and structured development programs.
• Manage team resourcing, workload prioritization and succession planning.
• Foster collaboration and clear ownership across Corporate Quality, Operations Quality and Laboratory functions.

• Supports the implementation of the QMS system once identified.
• Ensure compliance with relevant local regulatory requirements (e.g. SFA) as well as international standards (FSSC 22000, BRC, ISO 22000, etc.).
• Leads as needed various regulatory inspections and customer or third-party audits.
• Manage document control, SOPs and quality records governance.
• Drive CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) processes across quality incidents.
• Oversee supplier and vendor quality assurance programs, including qualification and ongoing performance monitoring.
• Create and maintain a framework supporting smart data analysis, including product integrity monitoring, shelf-life testing and other key data streams.

• Ensure robust quality controls are embedded throughout the manufacturing process, from raw material intake to finished goods.
• Lead internal and external audit programs as needed.
• Lead and support the supplier audit network, maintaining and developing audit capability across the supply base.
• Partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain and R&D to resolve quality issues impacting production and supply chain continuity.
• Monitor and analyze production quality data, driving root cause analysis for non-conformances.
• Oversee new product and process qualifications from a quality standpoint.
• Maintain strong relationships with the supply chain team, supplier network and internal stakeholders.

• Provide senior oversight of the Quality Laboratory, ensuring it operates within a clear framework aligned with business and Quality objectives.
• Act as the organizational buffer for the laboratory, ensuring incoming requests from across the business are appropriately filtered and prioritized before reaching the team.
• Own senior-level cross-functional relationships on behalf of the lab, ensuring structured and well-managed engagement with key stakeholder functions.
• Represent the laboratory at leadership level, advocating for the resources, investment and support needed for it to perform effectively.
• Ensure the laboratory maintains its regulatory and accreditation standing, escalating quality risks with broader business implications as needed.

• Oversee the consumer complaints management process, ensuring timely investigation and resolution.
• Lead and coordinate product recall and withdrawal procedures if required.
• Monitor quality performance metrics and trends to proactively identify and mitigate brand risk.
• Partner with Marketing and Commercial teams to protect brand integrity and consumer trust.

• Define and track Quality KPIs across Corporate, Operations and Laboratory functions.
• Prepare and present regular Quality performance reports to local senior leadership and US HQ.
• Ensure Quality risks and escalations are communicated proactively to relevant stakeholders.
• Lead the local Quality Management Review process.
• Maintain awareness of emerging food safety trends, regulatory changes and industry best practices relevant to Singapore and the broader region.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry or a related scientific discipline; Master’s degree would be beneficial.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in Quality within the food and beverage industry, with at least 2-4 years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong written and communication skills.
• Experience with low-acid aseptic Tetra Pak processing is required; experience with retorted cans and aseptic PET is a strong advantage.
• Proven track record managing multi-functional Quality teams, including both corporate and operations-facing functions.
• Strong working knowledge of food safety standards and frameworks (HACCP, FSSC 22000, BRC, ISO 22000).
• Familiarity with laboratory operations and accreditation requirements (ISO/IEC 17025 advantageous).
• Experience working within a multinational organization and interfacing with regional or global headquarters.
• Solid understanding of local regulatory requirements (SFA and relevant Singapore food safety legislation).
• Proficiency in Quality Management Systems (QMS) and data-driven decision making.
• Willingness to travel internationally and to work extended hours during critical periods as needed.

• Natural leader who leads by example and earns trust at all levels of the organization.
• Collaborative and relationship-driven, able to engage effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong analytical mindset with sharp attention to detail, without losing sight of the bigger picture.
• Pragmatic and calm under pressure, able to navigate ambiguity and manage competing priorities without compromising standards.
• High degree of personal accountability and integrity.
• Comfortable operating in a matrix environment, balancing local operational needs with global strategic direction.
• Curious and growth-oriented, keeping pace with industry trends, emerging regulations and best practices.
• Understands the dynamics of an entrepreneurial, high-growth business and brings the energy and results-orientation to thrive in it.