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 both 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.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Executes the Food Safety and Quality plan to ensure compliance with regulations, product specifications and organizational standards
  • Develop and maintain HACCP, SSOP Prerequisite Plans and ensure compliance with 9 CFR, Chapter III, Part 416 – Sanitation, Part 417 – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems. 
  • Maintain scientific supporting documentation and validation results. 
  • Manage the microbiological, chemical and organoleptic testing of both finished product and in-process product and sanitation confirmation.
  • Reviews results, determines product disposition & timely release. 
  • Ensures Listeria environmental monitoring and control program execution including corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting 
  • Develop, review, monitor, and maintain all ingredient and process control systems. 
  • Develop and maintain SQF program and leads organization through certification and ongoing maintenance of program.
  • Review, monitor, and maintain all ingredient and process control systems
  • Conduct a mock recall bi-annually to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of data gathering and record keeping functions. 
  • Acts as the technical resource for facility during trouble shooting or process changes.
• Establish and manage FSQ Laboratory sampling, testing and documentation.
  • Ensures methods of microbiological and chemical analysis are conducted correctly and Good Laboratory Practices are followed.
  • Maintains documentation, prepares reports and analyzes testing data from laboratory
• Ensure all state, local, and federal Food Safety regulatory issues are adhered to. 
  • Function as the liaison between Operations and the USDA. 
  • Communicate with USDA-FSIS concerning regulatory issues 
  • Responds to NR’s 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 investigation, corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting. 
  • Addresses deviations from expectations with attention to detail and urgency.
• Training and development
  • Actively involved with onboarding of Operations team members creating a strong foundational understanding of GMP’s and SSOP’s leading toward a commitment to a reliable Food Safety Culture.
  • Identifies, hires and develops FSQ team members to deliver the highest product quality standards through rigorous monitoring of the process and products.
  • Works with relevant academic institutions to develop internship opportunities.
  • Enforce all safety rules and company policies; provide appropriate interpretation of company policies and safety policies for team members. 
• Participate in the Corporate FSQ Leadership team including development of corporate expectations and long term FSQ strategic planning.          

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  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 more up to 25 pounds.  Must have the ability to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Earplugs and/or hearing protection, Hairnet, Beard-net, Protective eyewear, and slip resistant footwear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant / office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Work is performed primarily in an office environment.  At times, incumbent may need to enter production environment where there could be exposure to moderate cold, manufacturing equipment movement, loud noise levels, strong odors (spices, jerky, sauces, etc.) and wet / slippery floors. Travel may be required.