Director of Food, Safety & Quality; FSQ

Job Description Summary

Food Safety and Quality leadership position for a large Ready-to-Eat, USDA Inspected facility. Sets expectations for the Food Safety and Quality (FSQ) staff and cross functional teams in delivering food safety and quality standards for industry leading, branded food products. Determines the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of all quality systems as they relate to achieving corporate FSQ objectives and delivering outstanding consumer experience for JL products.

• Executes the Food Safety and Quality plan to ensure compliance with regulations, product specifications and organizational standards. Develops and maintains HACCP, SSOP Prerequisite Plans and ensures compliance with 9 CFR, Chapter III, Part 416 – Sanitation, Part 417 – HACCP Systems.
• Maintains scientific supporting documentation and validation results.
• Manages microbiological, chemical and organoleptic testing of finished and in-process product and sanitation confirmation; reviews results and determines product disposition and timely release.
• Ensures Listeria environmental monitoring and control program execution including corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting.
• Develops, reviews, monitors, and maintains ingredient and process control systems; leads SQF program certification and ongoing maintenance.
• Conducts mock recalls bi-annually to verify data gathering and record keeping effectiveness and accuracy.
• Acts as the technical resource for the facility during trouble shooting or process changes.
• Establishes and manages FSQ Laboratory sampling, testing and documentation; ensures microbiological and chemical analysis methods are correct and Good Laboratory Practices are followed.
• Maintains documentation, prepares reports and analyzes testing data from the laboratory.
• Ensures all state, local, and federal Food Safety regulatory issues are adhered to; functions as liaison between Operations and the USDA; communicates with USDA-FSIS on regulatory issues; responds to regulatory notices and maintains tracking and reports; monitors regulatory changes and responds accordingly.
• Manages non-conforming product or process issues; monitors incoming inspection of materials and manages deviations through the Supplier Corrective Action Reporting process; conducts consumer complaint investigations and corrective actions; addresses deviations with urgency.
• Training and development: onboarding of Operations team members on GMPs and SSOPs; identifies, hires and develops FSQ team members; works with academic institutions to develop internship opportunities; enforces safety rules and company policies.
• Participates in the Corporate FSQ Leadership team, contributing to corporate expectations and long-term FSQ strategic planning.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Ability to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including ear protection, hairnet, beard-net, protective eyewear, and slip resistant footwear.

Plant/office setting with varying temperatures and noise levels. Work is primarily in an office environment, with occasional entry into production areas where there could be exposure to cold, manufacturing equipment movement, loud noise, strong odors (spices, jerky, sauces), and wet/slippery floors. Travel may be required.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree and 8 or more years of Quality Assurance experience in the food industry with supervisory experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills, ability to build cross-functional relationships and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Solid grounding in USDA FSIS…