Director of Food Safety and Quality

JOB DESCRIPTION

Summary/Objective
This position is responsible for providing company-wide leadership and direction for the Food Safety and Quality Assurance function by defining, communicating, and coordinating the implementation of the Company’s Food Safety System. This position will champion Food Safety Culture within Palmer Candy and with our suppliers that positively impacts the financial performance of Palmer Candy Company.

Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provides leadership and guidance in the development and assessment of the Food Safety and Quality Strategies that align resources, drives collaboration, and deliver FSQ KPI’s.
• Accountable for performance of FSQ Department including compliance, measuring KPI’s, talent management, effective communication related to quality initiatives.
• Directs development and execution of internal product review processes, including specification process.
• Manage (Own) market withdrawal and recall process to ensure proper communication with appropriate communications throughout the network with a focus on food safety.
• Maintain a high level of expertise on all technical areas of food safety and product quality that impact, or have the potential to impact, the organization’s business operations and acts accordingly.
• Provide regulatory interpretation, training, and organizational assessments to operational departments to ensure systems are aligned with FDA, GFSI, and GMP requirements.
• Organize and manage food safety and quality review of ingredient and packaging suppliers and for qualification of new suppliers.
• Provide direction to suppliers to drive continuous improvement on their quality systems based on findings and observations from audit reports, consumer complaints, and non-conformances.
• Initiates and implements quality improvement activities as appropriate to raise the food safety performance of the company’s product lines.
• Educates and trains Team Members on GMPs and food related issues.
• Serves as the primary quality assurance resource for problem identification, resolution, and loss.
• Designs, implements and documents procedures for process control, process improvement, testing and inspection.
• Performs root-cause analysis and other problem-solving activities to identify effective corrective actions and process improvements.
• Analyzes customers’ product specifications to confirm quality implementation in production environment.
• Interacts with customers to identify opportunities to improve quality and establish feedback with manufacturing and development personnel.
• Monitors and updates customer driven websites which require entry of product specifications and other information.
• Oversees calibration and testing programs.
• Monitors and coordinates company's Kosher certification.
• Participates in internal and external quality audits.
• Prepares the company for annual SQF or GFSI audit and/or Customer Audits.
• Develops and maintains documentation of ongoing worksite sanitation and maintenance.
• Interfaces with supplier and customer quality representatives concerning problems with quality control and assure that effective corrective action is implemented.
• All other reasonable duties, as assigned.

Competencies

• Communication Proficiency
• Decision Making
• Organizational Skills
• Problem Solving/Analysis
• Results Driven
• Technical Capacity
• Time Management

Supervisory Responsibility
This position manages all team members of the department either directly or indirectly and is responsible for the performance management of the Team Members within that department.

Work Environment
This job operates in a clerical, office, as well as a manufacturing setting.

While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is occasionally exposed to odors, fumes, dust or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. The noise level in the work environment and job sites can be loud. Possible exposure to minor burns or cuts.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is regularly required to talk or hear. The Team Member frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

The Team Member is frequently required to sit; occasionally climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position, and typical work hours and days are Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM. The hours of the work-day are dependent on the demands of the position with occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand to meet the requirements of the position.

Travel
Travel is primarily local during the business day.

Required Education and Experience

• A minimum of bachelor’s degree in food science, Food Microbiology and/or similar field with a preference for master’s degree.
• 10 plus years of relevant experience in a food manufacturing environment with FDA regulated industries with increasing responsibilities.
• HACCP, SQF, PCQI certifications required. A working knowledge of FDA regulatory labeling requirements.
• Ability to interpret product specifications, technical specifications, and determine appropriate technical data.
• Management experience required: Managing multiple plants and resources.
• Strong knowledge of FDA, (FSMA), HACCP, and GMP regulatory requirements
• Comfortable developing and enforcing SOPs, SSOP’s methods, and established policies across all levels of the organization.
• Detail oriented, analytical, and able to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Positive, team focused approach and proven leadership ability, including team member development
• Possess excellent critical thinking and communication skills, both verbal and written with the proven.
• Effective analysis, negotiation, problem solving, excellent communication skills, attention to details and ability to work independently.
• Organizational skills and strong attention to detail within a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated track record of working successfully across functions to achieve shared goals, and proven ability to interact cross-functionally.
• Business acumen. Strength in creating competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans. Work effectively and influence all organizational levels. Strong, positive team leadership and collaboration skills. Ability to negotiate and maximize effectiveness of resources and influence others internally and externally.
• Ability to be hands on, Palmer Candy prides itself on its leaders being engaged in the daily plant activities and seeing first-hand what is taking place on the plant floor. This position is not a 100% desk job, ability to engage with plant staff is critical for success.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.