Plant Food Safety & Quality Manager

Smithfield Foods•Arnold, PA

30d•Onsite

About The Position

As part of our FS/QA team, you would conduct routine sanitation checks, ensuring that HAACP and USDA regulations are strictly enforced. Providing technical expertise to track product from start to finish, and develop corrective actions when needed. You will be responsible for ensuring that we are able to safely deliver the best Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan’s Famous, or any of our product brands to customers and consumers. Responsible for managing the Plant Food Safety and Quality Assurance Department to provide safe, high quality products that meet customer expectations. This role has the overall accountability of ensuring the food safety system is properly written, validated, documented and implemented as directed to ensure USDA and FDA regulatory compliance and the production of safe and wholesome products. Is accountable for the plant’s Quality System and must provide solid leadership to achieve company, plant, and department goals through various management, evaluation and improvement skills and strategies that improve overall quality and profitability. The Plant Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager reports to the Plant Manager, the Corporate Food Safety Manager and the Corporate Quality Assurance Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 5+ years’ experience in the food industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum of 2+ years’ experience in a position of leadership to include team development and management, required.
In-depth understanding of microbiological testing and limited chemistry testing.
Knowledge of various pathogens and microbes associated with food production.
Hands on experience conducting microbiological testing of meat and poultry products.
Comprehensive knowledge of USDA, FSIS, HACCP, and SSOP requirements.
Ability to uphold regulatory, company and customer standards.
Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
Knowledge of Database software; Inventory software; Manufacturing software; Spreadsheet and Word Processing software; QMS system and SAP.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Strong decision making and problem solving skills.
Excellent planning and organizational skills with demonstrated multi-tasking and project management skills.
Must be able to travel up to 10% of the time.
May be required to work long hours and weekends.
Must have the ability to complete required applicable forms in English, which requires the ability to read and write in English.
Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge and understanding of quality assurance principles, food science and meat processing, SPC and statistics; preferred.
USDA/HACCP Certified, preferred.
SQF Certified Expert, preferred.

Responsibilities

Quality and Food Safety Verification and Compliance
Verifies that all Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Regulatory programs are functioning as designed, being followed and correctly documented – thus ensuring the facility has the “regulatory evidence” required to prove they have produced safe and wholesome products.
Ensures USDA regulatory compliance by making scientifically defendable decisions that do not result in unjustified decreases in operational productivity or efficiency.
Able to quickly and thoroughly investigate a product/process failure, determine the root cause and take prompt corrective actions; while minimizing product exposure and production down time.
Revise and update food safety and quality programs and procedures as directed.
Accountable for the preparation and the execution of USDA daily verification tasks, as well as numerous 3rd party audits and USDA food safety system assessments.
Takes appropriate corrective action as a result of any findings generated.
Develops and fosters a strong working relationship with the USDA.
Food Safety and Quality Improvement
Prevents HACCP, SSOP and process or product failures by working with Food Safety and Quality Assurance staff members and Operations to drive continuous improvement of product quality through developing food safety and quality plans, process controls, attention to process and specifications, food safety and quality training.
Sanitation and Food Safety
Accountable for the overall design of the facility’s sanitation program.
Including authoring a written USDA regulatory program, sanitation performance tracking, training of applicable facility production and meeting regularly with the USDA to discuss sanitation findings.
Ensures that operational and pre-operational sanitation is acceptable.
Implements and develops necessary verification activities including micro sampling to verify the effectiveness of sanitation activities.
Takes action in response to negative micro and Shelf Life data to drive improvement.
Manages daily activities, in-depth training and development of the Food Safety and Quality staff members.
Document corrective actions and follow-up as necessary and conduct GMP and Sanitation audits.
Executes response to negative micro and Shelf Life data to drive continuous improvement, by auditing and scrutinizing the level of equipment cleanliness prior to the start of operations.
SQF
Creates and maintain SQF Quality Plan.
Completes reassessments of SQF Quality Plan if: Addition or removal of processing steps. Introduction of new product with processing steps not in currently included in Quality Analysis At a minimum SQF Quality Plan is reassessed annually.
Oversees the development, implementation, review and maintenance of the SQF System, including food safety fundamentals outlined in 2.4.2, the food safety plan outlined in 2.4.3 and the food quality plan outlined in 2.4.4;
Takes appropriate action to maintain the integrity of the SQF System.
Communicates to relevant personnel all information essential to ensure the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF System.
Personnel Management
Responsible for managing performance plans/reviews, work schedules and assignments of other food safety staff members.
Absence
In the absence of key personnel the employee’s supervisor or qualified designee (one that has been trained in the key employee's duties) is responsible to complete or delegate the completion of all required tasks and responsibilities.