Director of Food Safety

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute a comprehensive food safety strategy aligned with regulatory requirements and industry practices
• Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert on sanitation, environmental monitoring, and emerging scientific research
• Partner with executive leadership to embed food safety into business operations and decision-making
• Lead food safety incident response, risk mitigation, and crisis management
• Develop and standardize sanitation programs across stores and commissary operations
• Establish and manage environmental monitoring programs (EMP), with a strong focus on Listeria detection and prevention
• Oversee validation and verification of sanitation procedures and hygienic design principles
• Implement preventive controls to minimize cross-contamination and food safety risks
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, and all applicable state and local regulations
• Develop and standardize food safety SOPs across all departments
• Oversee key programs including allergen management, labeling, and HACCP-based systems
• Lead internal audits, support inspections, and drive corrective action plans
• Build tracking tools and reporting systems to measure performance and ensure accountability
• Analyze data to identify trends and drive continuous improvement
• Lead company-wide food safety training and certification programs
• Build food safety ownership at all levels, from store associates to leadership
• Coach and develop store and department leaders to drive consistent execution
• Champion a culture of accountability, prevention, and operational excellence
• Develop and mentor future food safety leaders

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 7–10+ years of progressive food safety or quality assurance experience in grocery retail, fresh foods, or food manufacturing
• Strong knowledge of FDA Food Code, HACCP principles, and regulatory requirements
• Expertise in sanitation, environmental monitoring, and pathogen control
• Experience managing multi-site operations and building scalable programs
• Proven leadership, communication, and analytical skills

Prior Experience

• Experience with ready-to-eat (RTE), deli, or prepared foods environments
• Certifications such as PCQI, HACCP, or equivalent
• Experience with data analytics and digital food safety systems
• Demonstrated success building food safety culture and training programs

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong execution capability
• Data-driven and solutions-oriented
• Hands-on leadership style
• Strong cross-functional collaborator and skilled communicator
• Proactive, prevention-focused mindset

Success Metrics

• Health inspection and regulatory audit performance
• Internal audit scores and consistency across locations
• Reduction in food safety incidents
• Training completion and compliance rates
• Effectiveness and adoption of food safety programs across all stores
• Customer experience metrics and feedback

Benefits

• Positive Work Environment
• Competitive Pay
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid Time Off & Personal Days
• 20% Employee Discount

Interview Process

• Joseph’s Classic Market utilizes VidCruiter as part of the interview process

Employment Eligibility

• Joseph’s Classic Market participates in E-Verify to confirm work authorization for all new employees