Consumer Affairs & Product Recall Manager

Grocery Outlet Career•Emeryville, CA

About The Position

We are seeking a highly organized and proactive Consumer Affairs & Product Recall Manager to lead and coordinate all aspects of product recalls, customer complaints, and consumer affairs across our grocery retail operations. This role serves as the central point of contact between internal teams, suppliers, regulatory bodies, and customers during product issues, ensuring timely, accurate, and effective communication and resolution. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with strong project management skills who thrives in high-pressure situations, excels in cross-functional collaboration, and is committed to protecting customer trust and brand integrity. Reports to the GO Brands Technical Services Director and is a new role to Grocery Outlet.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Public Health, Business, or related field.
5+ years of experience in consumer affairs, product quality, food safety, or a related role in retail or food industry.
Demonstrated experience managing recalls or crisis communications.
Strong project management skills
Familiarity with FDA, USDA, and other regulatory guidelines related to food safety.
Action-oriented, self-starter with courage to lead change, and implement operational improvements.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (especially with Microsoft Excel functions and data analysis) and compliance-related software systems.

Nice To Haves

Master’s a plus.
PMP certification a plus.
Experience with complaint and recall tracking systems (e.g., Recall InfoLink, SAP, Salesforce, Intelex) preferred.
Experience with call centers preferred.
Bilingual a plus.
Knowledge of food labeling, traceability, and supply chain logistics preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end management of product recalls, from initial identification through resolution and reporting.
Coordinate with suppliers, distribution centers, stores, and regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA, USDA) to ensure timely removal of affected products.
Ensure accurate recall notifications are drafted, reviewed, and distributed promptly.
Maintain and update recall logs and documentation in compliance with regulatory requirements.
Develop and continuously improve recall procedures and response plans.
Serve as the main escalation point for customer complaints involving food safety, product quality, and safety concerns.
Investigate complaints by gathering information from stores, suppliers, and QA teams.
Collaborate with customer service teams to ensure consistent and empathetic responses to customers.
Identify complaint trends and provide actionable insights to QA, merchandising, and operations teams.
Optimize and leverage data on product satisfaction among our shoppers and independent operators using digital reviews, customer surveys/emails, repeat rate and returns data to stand up tracking of quality performance, partnering with our suppliers to improve the experience with our products.
Maintain up-to-date Safety Data Sheets for all relevant products across Warehouse Network.
Conduct regular inspections and risk assessments to identify potential food safety hazards.
Train and educate warehouse staff on food safety procedures, policies, and compliance requirements.
Monitor and manage pest control, sanitation, allergen control, temperature logs, and traceability programs.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation including standard operating procedures (SOPs), audit reports, CAPAs, and training records.
Serve as the primary contact for regulatory agencies, auditors, and customer compliance inquiries.
Maintain necessary documentation for compliance with Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) compliance requirements for all imported products (National Brands and Private Label).
Audit documentation to ensure supplier information is well maintained on an annual basis.
Liaise between cross-functional team members to prepare teams for regulatory audits.
Act as project manager for cross-functional initiatives related to product issues and recalls.
Ensure all stakeholders (legal, QA, marketing, operations, customer service) are aligned and informed.
Prepare internal reports, debriefs, and communication summaries for executive leadership.
Lead post-recall reviews and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
Perform ad hoc Regulatory and Quality support for stakeholders across the company, becoming a key thought partner with the business.