Director, Food Safety and Quality Assurance - FreshPoint Produce

About the Role

Develop and direct Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) support/evaluation programs and inspection/audit procedures to ensure compliance of products and processes to corporate and regulatory requirements at a FreshPoint specialty produce company with multiple shift operations or over multiple facilities within a region. Participate with FreshPoint produce company personnel in the ongoing development, improvement, and support of new and existing product quality and FSQA processes, including supplier and customer interaction on FSQA matters.

The incumbent will manage FSQA execution of source supplier approval, product sourcing functions, manufactured produce products, plant sanitation, and FSQA-related regulatory interaction and inspections for the company, third-party audits, training, and mentoring FSQA staff and operational colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Develop, lead, direct, update, reassessment, verification, and periodic validation of FSQA programs including:
  • HACCP Program
  • Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
  • Pest Control
  • Good Manufacturing Practices
  • Approved Supplier Program
  • Foreign Material Control
  • Plant Sanitation
  • Chemical Control
  • Product Quality Assurance
  • FSQA Customer Complaints
  • Food Defense and Security
  • Direct Employee Training of FSQA Programs, Policies, and Procedures
  • Recall and Traceability Programs including Mock Recalls
  • Independent FSQA Audit Program – SQF Audits
• Assist when necessary for product evaluations, plant visits, and supplier/customer communication to assist other staff members.
• Assist as needed in any manner capable during emergencies the plant President or General Manager determines are paramount to the business.

Requirements

• 5-10 years produce and/or food manufacturing experience.
• FSQA Management experience within a federal FDA and/or CFIA style processing plant, acceptable with a valid degree.
• A minimum of three to five years FSQA management with additional R&D (research and development) or production-operations in a produce processing environment (combined experience preferred).

Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals, as well as to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Demonstrated ability to perform basic arithmetic operations, compute rate, ratio, and percent, and interpret bar graphs.
• Demonstrated ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to use personal computer, lab equipment, food preparation equipment, and office communication equipment.

Certifications & Licenses

• Valid driver’s license.
• SQF Practitioner or equivalent GFSI scheme experience.
• Produce and/or food manufacturing HACCP Certified (as appropriate).

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to talk or hear.
• Frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Plant audits and inspections may require lifting of products up to 100 pounds and inspection requires working in a production environment on a moving line, lifting cartons, and visual inspection.
• Corrected vision required for sensory analysis to identify color, clarity.
• Warehouse and plant audit require close and distance vision to judge GMPs; peripheral vision and depth perception mandatory for safety.

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles.
• Occasionally works near mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold, and risk of radiation.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Plant audits/inspections and working at remote in-transit processing facilities and Sysco Operating Companies contain both moderate/loud noise and exposure to fumes and mechanical hazards.