Compliance Dairy Process Improvement Coordinator - Internal

About the role

The Food Safety & Consumer Services (FSCS) Division is one of six divisions in the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The division serves consumers and stakeholders in the state of Washington by assuring the availability, safety, and integrity of the state's human and animal food supply.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, coordinate, and initiate enforcement actions on violations by food manufacturers, dairy farms and plants, custom meat, eggs, cottage food, marijuana infused edibles and hemp extract processors.
• Serve as the program representative between state and federal public health partners to achieve mutual reliance for better utilization of resources for the protection of public health at the state, national and international level.
• Develop and provide training on enforcement principles, formal compliance and adjudicative procedures, alternatives to enforcement actions, compliance agreements and other related topics.
• Establish policies and provide training on the collection, documentation, presentation and preservation of inspection evidence to support appropriate enforcement actions.
• Consult with the Attorney General’s office, agency executive management and administrative regulations staff to conduct enforcement actions to protect public health.
• Aid field staff and the Food Safety Management Team with compliance case development leading to firms successfully completing corrections and implementing long-term sustainable changes to manage food safety risks.
• Represent the program at the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shippers.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrate leadership and manage change.
• Assist in the development of goals and objectives to ensure project deliverables and operational requirements of the dairy program are met.
• Maintain staff resources and provide updates to program management as needed.
• Direct the development of the dairy training program to ensure field and office staff are competent in each system use.
• Identify training risks and communicate to program management and the training coordinator.
• Represent the program in industry outreach and education activities.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree involving major study in business, microbiology, food science, food technology, biochemistry, dairy science, or environmental health in a closely allied field.
• OR Related experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Four (4) years of professional experience in a public health regulatory food manufacturing environment.
• Must have the ability to qualify for and obtain FDA Commissioning as required.
• Two (2) years of equivalent public health regulatory - related experience and/or three (3) years of quality control experience in a food or dairy processing plant.
• Experience in inspecting, educating, and enforcing state and federal regulations in a regulatory food safety program focused on retail food, food processing or dairy processing.

Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.