Associate Manager - Food Safety and Validation

Perrigo Company • Eau Claire, WI

293d

About The Position

At Perrigo, we are driven by our mission to Makes Lives Better Through Trusted Health and Wellness Solutions, Accessible to All. We are proud to be a Top 10 player in the European Consumer Self-Care market and the largest U.S. store brand provider of over the counter and infant formula. Dedicated to providing The Best Self-Care for Everyone, we are the people behind the brands you trust. We are Opill®, Compeed®, Solpadeine®, NiQuitin®, ACO®, and many more. We Are Perrigo. We are committed to enhancing the wellbeing of our colleagues and consumers alike. We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture where each person can experience a sense of belonging. Join us on our One Perrigo journey as we evolve to a blended-branded business to win in self-care. We are seeking a skilled and proactive Associate Manager - Food Safety and Validation to champion the safety, quality, and compliance of our infant formula products. This pivotal role involves managing food safety programs and leading validation processes, including equipment qualification, cleaning validation, and software validation, while ensuring compliance with global standards like FSSC 22000. Success in this role ensures adherence to stringent infant formula regulations, fosters a culture of food safety, and drives continuous improvement across the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in food science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or validation, preferably in the infant formula or infant nutrition industry.
• In-depth understanding of FSSC 22000 certification requirements and implementation in infant formula production.
• Expertise in validation protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ), cleaning validation, and software qualification processes.
• Strong knowledge of FDA, FSMA, Codex, and FSSC 22000 compliance standards.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
• Effective communication and leadership abilities to manage interdisciplinary teams and complex projects.
• Certification in food safety programs (e.g., HACCP, SQF) or FSSC 22000 training is highly desirable.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge, experience, and skills with quality assurance functions.
• Strong involvement with industry professional associations is preferred.
• Network within the pharma industry and partner strategically with global regulators.
• Listening, negotiating and effective communication skills under pressure are highly preferred.
• Responsible for daily management of Quality Compliance and Quality Escalations.
• Develops and implements effective metrics and strategies.
• Directs and manages QMS processes and reporting requirements.
• Quality Compliance, Quality Inspection and Audit, QMR, QA, QC, QRM.
• Expertise in applying predictive analytics and big data/artificial intelligence to create predictive indicators.
• Supports Perrigo Quality Management Review Process.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee infant formula-specific food safety programs, including HACCP, GMPs, and allergen control plans, ensuring alignment with FSSC 22000 certification requirements.
• Monitor compliance with global food safety standards such as the FDA's Infant Formula Act, Codex Alimentarius, FSMA, and FSSC 22000 frameworks.
• Conduct routine food safety risk assessments and implement preventive controls to maintain the highest standards in infant formula production.
• Manage comprehensive validation processes for equipment critical to infant formula safety, including qualification protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ) in compliance with FSSC 22000's systematic approach to validation.
• Oversee cleaning validation activities, ensuring hygiene standards meet or exceed FSSC 22000 guidelines for infant formula manufacturing.
• Oversee software validation efforts, emphasizing accuracy, data integrity, and compliance for digital systems managing infant nutrition formulations.
• Maintain and update validation master plans, protocols, and reports to meet the rigorous demands of regulatory and certification requirements.
• Ensure all activities align with FSSC 22000, FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices for Infant Formula, FSMA, and other global regulations.
• Serve as a key contact during regulatory audits, certification assessments, and inspections, providing validation documentation and expert responses to inquiries.
• Design and implement FSSC 22000-focused training programs for production teams, covering food safety principles, validation protocols, and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance safety and quality processes, driving compliance with FSSC 22000 standards.
• Promote adoption of emerging technologies and industry best practices for improved nutritional quality assurance and operational efficiency.
• Analyze data from validation studies and safety monitoring programs to identify trends and ensure ongoing compliance with FSSC 22000 requirements.
• Prepare detailed technical reports and presentations for senior leadership and regulators, with a focus on infant nutrition standards and certification benchmarks.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• Benefits tailored to supporting you and your family.
• Career development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree