Food Safety & Quality Compliance Specialist Food Safety & Quality Compliance Specialist

Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA•Schaumburg, IL

About The Position

The Food Safety & Quality Compliance Specialist supports food safety and quality compliance through the implementation, verification, and maintenance of quality systems, documentation, and testing programs, ensuring alignment with regulatory, customer, and internal requirements across production. This role partners closely with the Quality Team to identify risks, investigate issues, and drive preventive actions to protect product quality and food safety.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience required.
Practical experience and ownership of food safety and quality compliance programs, including ISO 9001 and FSSC 22000 / ISO 22000 standards.
Working knowledge and ownership experience with Management of Change (MoC), Foreign Body (FoB) prevention, and Internal Audits (IA).
HACCP / HARPC experience required, including hazard analysis, preventive controls, monitoring, verification, and documentation.
Demonstrated experience working within Quality Management Systems (QMS).
Experience supporting or owning Document Control (DC) processes, including SOP management, version control, and record lifecycle management.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to document, train, and audit effectively across functions.
Demonstrated proficiency in mathematical, statistical, and trend analysis to support quality, food safety, FoB reduction, and consumer complaint investigations.
Detail-oriented, results-driven, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Proficient in computer systems and digital quality platforms, including spreadsheets, databases, and electronic QMS tools.

Nice To Haves

PCQI and/or FSSC 22000 Lead Auditor certification preferred; hands‑on auditing experience (external/internal audits, GMP audits, system audits) strongly preferred.
USDA‑regulated manufacturing experience preferred.
Continuous Improvement and Root Cause Analysis experience preferred, including CAPA development and effectiveness verification.
Experience with SAP / DMO and Nestlé business processes preferred.

Responsibilities

Adhere to and uphold the company’s Quality Policy, including all applicable Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), quality protocols, and food safety requirements.
Promptly escalate any quality or food safety concerns or incidents to management.
Ensure compliance with relevant standards and certifications, including ISO/FSSC 22000, Nestlé Management System (NMS), and ISO 9001, while driving continuous improvement initiatives aligned with Quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Review and update factory policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure alignment with Nestlé quality and compliance standards.
May serve as the Document Control Coordinator for Quality, supporting compliance through effective management of the factory’s document control system.
May be responsible for Net Contents Control system support and reporting, ensuring the effective operation of the net contents control program on the factory floor and preparing lot summary reports to verify compliance with the Quality Monitoring Scheme (QMS).
Verify production documentation for accuracy and compliance.
Support factory programs related to food allergen management and product coding maintenance.
Audit GMPs, procedures, and documentation on the production floor, identifying and resolving procedural or process gaps, and delivering coaching and training for employees.
Serve as the owner of the Management of Change (MoC) process, ensuring all changes impacting food safety, quality, regulatory compliance, or operations are properly assessed, documented, approved, implemented, and verified.
Act as an owner within the factory Internal Audit Team, supporting audit readiness, execution, and corrective action follow-up to ensure sustained food safety and quality compliance.
Act as HACCP / HARPC process owner, ensuring food safety hazards are properly identified, controlled, documented, and verified across products, processes, and changes.
Own the Consumer Complaints (CC) process, including intake, investigation coordination, documentation, root cause analysis, and corrective action tracking to ensure timely and compliant resolution.
Lead FoB reduction efforts, analyzing trends, investigating incidents, and partnering cross-functionally to implement sustainable preventive controls.
Ensure compliance with all regulatory and Nestlé safety, health, and environmental guidelines.
Provide guidance, support, and training to Production, Sanitation, Warehouse, and Maintenance teams to ensure alignment with Nestlé quality and food safety standards.
Promote a culture where safety and quality are core values, driving behavioral improvements across the facility.
Support factory-level improvement initiatives, such as reducing consumer complaints and product defects.
Lead or participate in problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives.
Maintain awareness of consumer complaints across production lines.
Execute special projects assigned.
Conduct Behavior-Based Quality (BBQ) observations.
Participate in operational management routines, including pillar committees and local platforms.
Interpret and report data trends to relevant stakeholders.
Monitor the laboratory Internal Control Plan (ICP) at required intervals.