Food Safety & Compliance Officer

Department: Quality Assurance
Reports To: R&D / Quality Assurance Manager
Status: Exempt

Position Overview

The Food Safety & Compliance Officer leads all food safety, regulatory, and quality compliance programs for the facility. This role serves as the primary SQF Practitioner and ensures that all GFSI (SQF) certification requirements, plantwide safety programs, and regulatory standards are consistently met. The officer partners closely with Production, R&D, Supply Chain, and leadership to maintain audit readiness, drive continuous improvement, and safeguard product integrity.

Key Responsibilities

Food Safety Program Leadership

• Serve as the primary SQF Practitioner; maintain program integrity, validation, verification, and ongoing improvement.
• Oversee all Food Safety and Quality Programs including HACCP, PCQI, FSMA, GMPs, Pest Control, Allergen Control, Food Defense, Chemical Control, Environmental Monitoring, Foreign Material Control, Plant Sanitation, and Quality Assurance Systems.
• Ensure all preventive controls and compliance activities meet FSMA and FDA regulations.
• Lead preparation and execution of GFSI/SQF certification audits, customer audits, regulatory inspections, and internal audits.
• Manage monitoring, verification, and validation activities and ensure proper documentation.

Compliance, Risk Prevention & Investigation

• Lead root-cause investigations for deviations, non-conformances, or potential safety risks.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and verify long-term effectiveness.
• Conduct plantwide GMP inspections, internal audits, and compliance reviews.

Training & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Deliver companywide training on food safety, SQF standards, GMPs, and quality procedures.
• Maintain organized digital training and compliance records.
• Facilitate cross-functional teams in problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Work closely with Production, Supply Chain, R&D, and leadership to ensure alignment with quality and regulatory expectations.

Documentation, Systems & Program Oversight

• Maintain the document control system including SOPs, Work Instructions, process maps, and risk assessments.
• Support organic, Non-GMO, and natural product compliance programs.
• Manage sanitation supply oversight and vendor approvals related to food safety.
• Conduct traceability exercises and maintain audit-ready documentation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Nutritional Science, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of Quality Assurance or Food Safety experience within food manufacturing.
• 2+ years directly overseeing regulatory or food safety compliance.
• Required Certifications:
~ SQF Practitioner
~ HACCP
~ PCQI
• Strong working knowledge of FSMA, FDA regulations, and GFSI/SQF requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with ERP/MRP systems preferred.
• Strong technical writing skills and ability to manage multiple programs and projects.
• High attention to detail, organized work habits, and strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate across departments and guide compliance-related decision making.

Preferred Credentials

• CMQ/OE, LSSBB, CFSQA, PMP
• Experience supporting FDA, SQF, or customer audits
• Experience with sustainability or certification compliance 

Working Conditions

• Combination of office and plant-floor environments.
• Exposure to noise, dust, temperature changes, and standard manufacturing conditions.
• Requires standing, walking, bending, and lifting up to 25 lbs.

Schedule

• Full-time, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, with flexibility as needed for audits or production needs.