Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Food Safety Officer

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

Quality AssuranceFood & BeverageManufacturingComplianceRegulatory Affairs

🎯 Role Definition

Are you passionate about safeguarding public health and upholding the highest standards in food production? This role requires a dedicated and meticulous Food Safety Officer to join our team. This pivotal role is responsible for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of all food safety programs and policies. You will be the on-site champion for quality and compliance, ensuring our products are safe, legal, and meet stringent customer expectations. This is a hands-on position requiring a proactive leader who can drive a culture of food safety excellence across all departments.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Food Quality Technician
  • Quality Control Inspector
  • HACCP Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Food Safety Manager
  • Director of Quality Assurance
  • Corporate Food Safety Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Assurance Manager
  • Regulatory Affairs Specialist
  • Supplier Quality Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, implement, and maintain the company's comprehensive Food Safety Plan and Quality Management System based on HACCP principles and GFSI standards (such as SQF, BRC, or FSSC 22000).
  • Act as the primary on-site HACCP and PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) lead, ensuring all critical control points (CCPs) and preventive controls are monitored, verified, and documented correctly.
  • Conduct routine internal audits and facility inspections to ensure ongoing compliance with all food safety, sanitation (SSOPs), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
  • Lead third-party audits (GFSI, customer, regulatory), manage corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plans, and ensure timely closure of non-conformances.
  • Oversee the environmental monitoring program, including swabbing schedules, data analysis, trend identification, and implementing corrective actions for any deviations.
  • Manage the supplier approval and verification program, ensuring all raw material suppliers meet our stringent food safety and quality specifications.
  • Investigate customer complaints, product non-conformances, and quality incidents, performing root cause analysis and implementing effective corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Develop and deliver comprehensive food safety and quality training programs for all employees, from new hire orientation to annual refresher courses on GMPs, allergen control, and HACCP.
  • Maintain and update all food safety documentation, records, and procedures, ensuring they are current, accurate, and readily accessible for audits.
  • Stay current with emerging food safety regulations from agencies like the FDA, USDA, and local health departments, and implement necessary changes to maintain compliance.
  • Lead the Food Safety and HACCP team meetings, fostering cross-departmental collaboration to address and resolve food safety concerns.
  • Manage the integrated pest management program, working with third-party contractors to ensure the facility remains free from pest activity.
  • Oversee the allergen control program, including segregation, sanitation verification, labeling, and employee training to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Direct and validate sanitation procedures and chemical usage, ensuring sanitation effectiveness through pre-operational inspections and ATP testing.
  • Manage the hold and release program for finished products, ensuring all quality and safety specifications are met before shipment.
  • Develop and maintain product specifications for raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods to ensure consistency and quality.
  • Coordinate and lead mock recall exercises at least annually to test the effectiveness of the company's traceability system and recall plan.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory agency personnel during inspections and inquiries, professionally representing the company.
  • Champion a proactive food safety culture throughout the organization, empowering all employees to take ownership of quality and safety.
  • Prepare and present regular reports to senior management on key food safety performance indicators, trends, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Review and approve product labels for regulatory compliance, including nutritional information, allergen declarations, and ingredient statements.
  • Manage the calibration program for all monitoring and measuring equipment critical to food safety and quality.

Secondary Functions

  • Support cross-functional teams with ad-hoc data requests related to quality trends, supplier performance, and complaint analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's broader quality and operational excellence strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with R&D and Production to translate new product concepts into safe, manufacturable processes.
  • Participate in continuous improvement projects and Kaizen events focused on enhancing safety, quality, and efficiency.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • In-depth knowledge of HACCP principles and PCQI (Preventive Controls for Human Food) requirements.
  • Expertise in GFSI-benchmarked standards (SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000).
  • Proficiency in FDA and/or USDA regulations, including the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
  • Experience with internal, third-party, and regulatory auditing procedures.
  • Strong understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs).
  • Knowledge of environmental monitoring programs and microbiological testing principles.
  • Competency in root cause analysis methodologies (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams).
  • Experience with food safety documentation control and record-keeping systems.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for reporting and data analysis.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and strong observational skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for training, reporting, and inter-departmental collaboration.
  • Strong leadership and influencing abilities to drive a culture of compliance and continuous improvement.
  • Effective problem-solving and critical-thinking capabilities to address complex issues.
  • Ability to work collaboratively and build strong relationships with cross-functional teams.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Assertiveness and diplomacy to enforce standards and manage conflict effectively.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree in a related field

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Food Science or Food Technology
  • Microbiology, Biology, or Chemistry
  • Public Health

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-7 years of progressive experience in a food safety or quality assurance role within a food manufacturing environment.

Preferred:

  • Direct experience leading a facility through successful GFSI, regulatory, and customer audits. PCQI and HACCP certifications are highly preferred.
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