SW Region Supervisor - Internal

State of Washington • Multiple Locations Statewide, WA

1d • Remote

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is seeking an experienced professional to serve as a Supervisor for the Food Safety & Consumer Services (FSCS) Division. This role is crucial for ensuring the safety and integrity of Washington State's food supply. The FSCS Division, comprising over 100 FTEs, focuses on animal feed, food safety, organic products, and produce safety, and also manages the Rapid Response Team for food and feed emergencies. The Food Safety Program within FSCS is responsible for licensing and inspecting businesses that process, manufacture, store, or handle food or dairy products for wholesale distribution, as well as custom slaughter or meat cutting operations. The program's dual mission is to protect public health by assuring food safety and to facilitate the movement of Washington agricultural products in domestic and international markets. This involves inspecting food products, processing facilities, storage establishments, dairy farms, egg operations, and custom meat facilities, as well as licensing dairy technicians and issuing various certificates and licenses. The position oversees one of three food safety regions, independently directing, planning, organizing, and evaluating the effectiveness of the Food Safety Program. It includes statewide duties such as acting as a subject matter expert for the Federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and supervising a team of technical professionals. The Region Supervisor is responsible for developing, updating, and refining program compliance systems, ensuring adherence to Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and standard operating procedures. The role also supports incident responses, serves as a spokesperson, and ensures staff compliance with performance objectives and regulations, thereby supporting the economic success of Washington State producers and exporters.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree involving major study in business, microbiology, food science, food technology, biochemistry, dairy science, environmental health, or a closely allied field.
• Related experience may substitute for education on a year for year basis.
• Four (4) years of professional experience in a public health regulatory food manufacturing environment.
• Must have the ability to qualify for and obtain FDA Commissioning as required.
• FDA Commission qualifications (subject to change, discretion, and further inquiry by FDA): Meets qualifications for FSCS position duties.
• Citizen of US.
• No felonies/misdemeanors (excluding minor traffic offenses) or pending trials/investigations for such.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a valid driver's license prior to employment to conduct agency business as required.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience working as a Food Safety Compliance Specialist 2, 3, or 4.
• Experience in inspecting, educating, and enforcing state and federal regulations in a regulatory food safety program focused on retail food, food processing or dairy processing.
• 1-3 years supervisor experience.
• Demonstrated experience with cooperative agreement programs and in building programs, systems, and/or projects from scratch.
• Prior experience developing and delivering training to staff and stakeholders at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and oversee Food Safety Program Inspection Staff
• Direct, plan, organize, and coordinate a regional food safety inspection team in areas such as Grade A dairy, egg, manufactured food, food storage warehouse, cottage food, custom meat, custom slaughter, seafood, juice, and cannabis-infused edibles.
• Analyze staffing needs and assign work accordingly.
• Develop weekly, monthly, and yearly work schedules.
• Plan routine regional staff meetings and assist with program meetings.
• Provide a continuous review of personnel activity in relation to program goals and objectives and provide timely feedback to staff.
• Provide conceptual guidance and direction to group members, allocate workloads, and establish completion dates.
• Develop program policy and quality assurance monitoring for inspectional and regulatory consistency.
• Ensure compliance with the operational policies and standards.
• Provide support to the Compliance Case Manager in the administration of compliance and enforcement duties.
• Attend administrative hearings and testifies as needed.
• Conduct field evaluations of staff competency to ensure inspection standards or new and existing field staff.
• Determine and evaluate the merits of emerging products and processes.
• Assist in the development and implementation of technical information, distribution, and training activities.
• Facilitate training activities through in-person and remote classroom training, on-the-job training with program staff, and other applicable methods.
• Provide presentations to industry and regulatory personnel.
• Work with the training coordinator to ensure that all training requirements are met for inspection staff.
• Utilize state vehicle to travel statewide to perform tasks.
• Attend Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) planning meetings when requested by program management.
• Provide input on current projects.
• Conduct and provide technical reviews of FSMA preventative control plans for construction and process requirements.
• Prepare and deliver annual evaluations and expectations for assigned regional staff.
• Manage staff to ensure all training and program/agency requirements are met.
• Provide consultation, recommendations and evaluation to the Program Manager and compliance staff regarding the programs compliance/ enforcement activities for NOC and NOI issuance and maintenance.
• Receive calls, emails, or other requests for information from WSDA staff, food safety consumers, food processors, and regulatory agencies.
• Provide accurate information and technical assistance on a wide variety of food safety issues by directing people to the correct information or researching and determining the correct information.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external government agency staff, including WSDA, FDA, USDA, and local health jurisdictions.
• Serve as a department witness/expert on technical public health issues at legal proceedings such as administrative hearings, settlement meetings, revocations, and suspensions.
• Assist in periodic review of FSP rules, Inspectors manual, Policies/Procedures, and guidance material.
• Participate in development and implementation of a management information system to monitor administrative and program activities.
• Attend required training as needed.
• Provide input to statewide Food Safety Program compliance policies, procedures, and enforcement standards and other state-wide projects
• Conduct review of established WSDA compliance policies and procedures for failing inspections.
• Review FDA guidelines for compliance actions to be initiated on firms with failing inspections.
• Recommend WSDA compliance policies and procedures for entities failing to maintain inspection standards.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in multiple disciplines as required (e.g., PC, HACCP, RRT, dairy, public health reviews, etc.).
• Conduct statewide FDA Food audits and WSDA evaluations as assigned.
• Work with Food Safety Program staff in assisting developing and refining program goals.
• Support in planning for and responding to food safety incident response, including food-borne illness outbreaks, recalls, embargoes, and other emergencies.
• Serve in an Incident Command System role as an Operations Chief when the Rapid Response Team is activated to respond to illness outbreaks, product recalls, or other food safety issues.
• Lead office and field staff with non-RRT response to food safety incidents including sampling, swabbing, and embargoes.
• Utilize knowledge and experience to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of incident response, limiting negative repercussions for the food industries and public health.

Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• Dependent Care Assistance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Tuition Waiver
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Recognition Leave
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager