Food Safety Manager

About the role

Chairmans Foods specializes in producing a wide range of high quality, consistent customer solutions – main courses, side dishes, queso, ready-to-eat protein salads and custom solutions for foodservice operators and retail stores. Driven by its mission, vision and values, employee and food safety are always top priorities.

Responsibilities

• Safeguard food safety and quality while meeting company and regulatory standards.
• Oversee Food Safety and Quality programs and communicate results and knowledge to the workforce.
• Manage the plant laboratory, ensuring supplies and equipment are available.
• Manage third-party sanitation companies.
• Ensure product safety, regulatory compliance, and adherence to company standards under the Food Safety Modernization Act.
• Drive continuous improvement in product quality/performance and process optimization.
• Lead coaching, education, and training of management staff and plant employees in Quality Assurance.
• Develop, facilitate, and maintain HACCP, FDA, and USDA requirements and programs.
• Ensure compliance with all SQF/BRC audit requirements.
• Review all product labels for adherence to regulatory and company standards.
• Ensure compliance with regulations and company standards for incoming and outgoing materials.
• Supervise chemical, bacteriological, sensory, and utilization tests on raw materials and finished goods.
• Communicate quality metrics and inspection results to leadership via daily, weekly, or monthly KPI reporting.
• Ensure proper sanitation procedures are utilized and adequate sanitation tests are performed; troubleshoot sanitation system failures.
• Develop and maintain documentation of all required tests and activities.
• Assist in managing local, state, customer/third-party, and federal audits and inspections.
• Manage expenses, including labor, using continuous improvement techniques and a Management Operating Structure.
• Ensure adherence to all contract packaging quality requirements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally as a change agent with all departments.
• Lead by example with the Chairman’s Mission, Vision, and Values; follow company policies, standards, and specifications.
• Take initiative to move from problem to solution in a safety-conscious manner.
• Maintain the entire operation in audit-ready condition on a 24x7 basis.
• Perform typical managerial responsibilities including planning, evaluating, organizing, integrating, and delegating.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a science-based area of study.
• Minimum of 10 years of Quality Assurance experience and 5 years of supervisory experience.
• Knowledge and application of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
• SQF Practitioner and/or GFSI certification.
• Process Control Qualified Individual status.
• Familiarity with Good Manufacturing Practices.
• Working knowledge of sanitation systems, clean-in-place techniques, and procedures.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Understanding of change management and document control basics.
• Ability to adapt to changing organizational and operational needs and lead others through change.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to select, coach, develop, engage, and retain a team of employees.