Sr Manager, Supplier Food Safety and QA

Meijer•Grand Rapids, MI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a family company, we serve people and communities. When you work at Meijer, you’re provided with career and community opportunities centered around leadership, personal growth and development. Consider joining our family – take care of your career and your community! Lead the end-to-end Food Safety and risk mitigation strategy for Suppliers (Own Brand suppliers, Meijer Manufacturing Ingredient Suppliers, National Brand High-Risk Suppliers, etc.) from qualification and risk assessment through ongoing performance management, incident response, and continuous improvement. You will design and govern a risk-based supplier management framework aligned to regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, FSMA, USDA, etc.), GFSI benchmarked standards, and our brand’s performance ambitions, while developing a high performing team and cross functional partnerships across Own Brands, Sourcing, Merchandising, Product Development, Manufacturing/Operations, and Distribution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
8+ years in Food & Beverage quality/food safety with significant supplier management and manufacturing exposure; plant-level quality leadership experience required.
Strong working knowledge of FSMA/Preventive Controls/HACCP, GFSI benchmarked schemes (e.g., SQF, BRCGS).
Demonstrated capability in risk assessment, supplier auditing, statistical tools/SPC, change management, and leading complex cross functional projects.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at multiple levels and with external partners.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (M.S. in Food Science/Engineering) or MBA
PCQI, HACCP, FSVP, and GFSI auditor/implementer credentials
Experience in global supplier networks and consumer brands
Familiarity with specification and supplier systems

Responsibilities

Build and own a risk-based supplier Food Safety strategy for Own Brands, Meijer Manufacturing ingredients (ingredients, finished goods, and packaging), National Brand high-risk products, across categories.
Establish policies and standards based on science, industry best practices, emerging risks, regulatory requirements, which incorporates GFSI requirements across multitiered supply networks.
Translate regulatory changes and emerging risks into clear, prioritized controls, SOPs, and verification plans.
Determine supplier compliance with applicable regulations beyond FSMA/USDA in assigned categories.
Support implementation of department processes, standards, policies, and projects in a timely manner.
Build the program to establish, implement, and manage the Meijer Supplier Food Safety Standard.
Lead standard development, risk model development, determine the risk ranking requirements, qualification, approval, and maintenance audits of supplier facilities; oversee corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and escalation pathways.
Integrate food safety requirements for product and process controls within the Own Brand product specifications, collaborating with QA/Product Development; ensure claims (e.g., allergen, “gluten free”) are scientifically supported and verified.
Identify 3P auditing partners to facilitate desk and facility level reviews to verify supplier compliance against the Meijer Standard.
This includes facility-level claims (e.g., gluten-free, allergen programs) per regulatory guidance and Meijer standards; and prerequisite programs (pest management, GMPs, allergen control, foreign material prevention, environmental monitoring, master sanitation, food fraud, preventive equipment maintenance) within supplier operations.
Deploy process capability and SPC programs to improve supplier reliability and reduce variability in critical parameters.
Own supplier related incident response (holds, withdrawals, recalls) including track & hold protocols, rapid risk assessment, and crisis communications; manage investigations of product or facility-related issues with suppliers; ensure effective root cause analysis and robust corrective/preventive action.
Monitor industry-wide outbreaks/recalls and translate lessons learned into preventive changes and supplier requirements.
Establish and define criteria for change management to ensure safety, compliance, and business continuity.
Partner with Own Brands/Sourcing/Merchandising/Manufacturing on supplier selection, scorecards, and performance requirements; with Own Brand/Manufacturing & Sourcing on incoming controls and release; with Product Development on design for food safety and shelf life; and with Regulatory/Legal on label claims and compliance.
Build and maintain professional working relationships with suppliers while holding them accountable to Meijer standards.
Serve as the Food Safety voice in commercialization and change management to ensure right-the first-time launches and risk-based substitutions.
Serve as the operational communication link between Meijer, stakeholders, and third-party partners (testing labs, audit/inspection companies) to execute verification activities.
Escalate supplier/facility performance risks to leadership with Food Safety recommendations on facility status, withdrawals/recalls, disposition, and overall performance action plans.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of Food Safety professionals and external partners (labs, audit providers); build a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Provide targeted training (HACCP/FSMA Preventive Controls, FSVP, allergen control, foreign material prevention, environmental monitoring & sanitation, SPC).
Establish and create supplier/food safety platforms and dashboards to manage risk, specification requirements, and performance at scale, drive data informed decisions.
Establish Key Performance Indicators to document, track, and monitor supplier food safety requirements, aligned with Own Brands/Manufacturing/Sourcing/Merchandising.
Examples of KPIs include: % suppliers approved/maintained on time; high risk suppliers with enhanced oversight metric time.
Audit performance: major/critical nonconformances per audit; CAPA closure process time and reoccurrence rate.
Incoming defect rate / COA conformity; first pass acceptance.
Incident metrics.
Determine methodology to incorporate KPIs into continuous improvement frameworks.