Work for an industry leader in in Fresh Food Manufacturing, who does much more than making great tasting safe ready to eat foods.
Position Purpose:
This position provides technical and leadership guidance in food safety and quality initiatives while reinforcing the Core Values
Summary of Responsibilities:
The responsibilities of this position are to manage and drive the Continuous Improvement and Quality Programs focused on microbiological risk. The position also provides technical support for other Food Safety and Quality programs as well as Innovation.
The ideal person will exemplify the Core Values of Integrity/Ethics, Always Improving, Caring Employee Environment, Excellence in Reputation and Responsive Customer Service at all time
Key Responsibilities:
- Responsible for design, implementation, oversight, and continual improvement of the environmental monitoring programs
- Responsible for design, implementation, oversight and continual improvement of Food Safety Preventive Controls and Critical Control Points used to mitigate microbiological food safety risks
- responsible fro ingredient risk assessments and provides input on ingredient and / or supplier approvals. Performs supplier audits when required
- Manage the Microbiology Team. Monitor their daily routine and progress against goals. Assure they are fully utilized and evaluate them annually
- Monitor emerging food safety and microbiological risks. Investigate and develop mitigation strategies for any emerging risks
- Drive Food Safety risk reduction by providing technical support and guidance to manufacturing sites to develop world class Policies, Procedures, and Training to assure Food Safety and Microbiological Standards are achieved.
- Design and lead validation of new products, equipment, processes, and/or procedures to confirm microbiological and food safety standards are achieved
- Lead the development of sanitary design and operating practices
- Responsible for the successful execution of the internal audit program
- Partner with Sanitation in developing solutions to environmental and sanitary design issues
- Create relationships with Operations, Sanitation, and Innovation to integrate best practices. Use these relationships to provide learning and transfer industry best practices and innovation for wet and dry sanitation, microbiological and allergen control within all zones of the plant environment
- Partner with QA and Sanitation in the development and implementation of food safety, good laboratory practices, microbiological monitoring and sanitation training
- Lead special situation investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action plans as they pertain to food safety and/or microbiological issues
- Monitor emerging technology for managing food safety and microbiological risks. Evaluate effectiveness and applicability to the food safety strategy
Position Competencies:
- Work effectively as an individual contributor and manage a team of QA / Micro Lab Technicians
- Adapt to often changing priorities
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Shared information must be accurate
- Must be detailed oriented
- Be self-disciplined and highly motivated with a passion for excellence
- Ability to identify, define, and analyze problems to find root causes and identify possible solutions
- Ability to collect relevant information, identify trends and patterns, and communicate them to all levels of the organization
Qualifications:
- Master degree in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Biology, or a related field with an emphasis on Microbiology. PhD Preferred
- 10+ years of leadership experience in food safety/compliance and laboratory management with a USDA/FSIS or FDA regulated Ready-to-Eat establishment 5+ years with a PhD
- Experience with Ready-to-Eat Refrigerated products and manufacturing
- Experience with managing HACCP and FSMA programs
- Experience with GFSI standards and audits
- Knowledge of microbiological methods and method qualification
- Knowledge of food and water microbiology to support microbiological risk assessments and food safety
- Understanding of physical and chemical microbial control procedures and effect on food
- Advanced knowledge of food safety, sanitation and chemistry for cleaning (CIP, COP, dry cleaning methods), sanitary design of equipment facilities, food microbiology and pest control
- working knowledge of Good Laboratory Practices
- PCQI Certification
