Food Safety Specialist

SUMMARY

This role covers Eastern NY, Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire

Assists with development, implementation, and evaluation of companywide food safety programs. Provides support to customers and other business partners through the education and validation of applicable food safety standards and procedures in retail locations. Provides instruction through training, coaching, auditing, and mentoring. Interacts with third party food safety service providers and regulatory.

Position resides in Schenectady, NY office. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for always ensuring regulatory compliance with all aspects of food safety and sanitation, in assigned locations. 
• Performs proactive inspection in assigned locations to ensure they meet or exceed established internal and regulatory food safety standards and requirements. Conducts in depth root cause analysis on non-compliant issues in assigned locations and provides necessary support to achieve and maintain compliance.
• Assists with the development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of all food safety and sanitation programs, policies, procedures, and standards, and works with leadership in assigned locations to support and influence implementation and execution with end users.
• Provide education and training to business partners. Conducts food safety training/certification sessions (authorized trainer and exam administrator) and other training as directed.
• Establishes contacts and relations with regulatory officials (health department, department of agriculture, consumer protection, etc.) for assigned locations. Participate in regulatory meetings to educate and be an advocate for company food safety standard practices/policies/programs.
• Monitors and follows-up with sanitation and pest control, vendors activities daily as related to assigned locations. Work with the local pest control and sanitation technicians to ensure compliance. 
• Provide direction and solution-based recommendations to leadership and supervision in retail and other assigned locations regarding food safety and sanitation issues within their respective regions.
• Provides support and training to existing and new or newly promoted managers and supervisors on corporate food safety, pest control standards, as well as regulatory requirements.
• Support all corporate food safety and sanitation projects and initiatives and assesses end user execution levels and other key performance indicators.
• Manages and maintains the content on Safety Department Intranet page including updating policies and procedures, and all safety resource documents. 
• Analyze, interpret, and utilize inspectional data and other metrics to further prevent, reduce, and eliminate food safety risks in assigned locations and presents findings and solution-based recommendations at regional and zone store management meetings.
•Interpret regulatory standards and identification of industry trends and best practices and works with leadership to ensures compliance in all assigned locations.
• Provide food safety support, direction, and follow-up for any emergency/crisis situations (power outages, water emergencies, fires, floods, claimed illnesses/injury, recalls, audits, etc.), and updates supervisor as needed.
• Conducts all aspects of food safety incident investigations and performs root cause analysis to determine corrective actions. Engages with internal resources and regulatory partners as needed, and prepares and provides response information to supervisor, and regulatory partners, as necessary. 
• Follows up on all teammate, consumer, and other food safety product complaints and assists with necessary corrective action and response. Provides update to supervisor, as necessary.
• Liaison with Safety Representative for the relevant local unions and attends available Union Safety Meetings.
• Assists in legal discovery requests, claim reviews and court proceedings as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent customer service skills.
• Good analytical ability and competence in problem solving.
• Strong computer skills (Windows, Office, Excel)
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license.
• May be asked to obtain or maintain AED certification or emergency responder certification.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree with studies in biology, microbiology, occupational safety, community health sciences

Experience in Food Safety, preferably in a supermarket environment or 3 - 5 plus years food safety or occupational safety related work.

Extensive knowledge of food safety, sanitation, auditing, pest control, FDA Food Code, and other related industry Standards.

Extensive experience with implementing Food Safety or other training programs.

Training and proficiency in the following food safety areas preferred:

• Food Safety and Sanitation Certification through completion of proficiency exam accredited by nationally recognized food safety certification body, and/or Conference for Food Protection
• FDA Seafood and Shellfish HACCP Training – certification preferred.
• USDA Meat HACCP Training – certification preferred.
• Federal, State, and local regulatory food safety statutes and regulations; food microbiology, including pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms; foodborne illness, including identification of risk, causative agents, symptoms, and prevention; cleaning/sanitation; temperature control; food security; pest control and prevention.
• Strong working knowledge and direct experience in adherence to federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to food safety and occupational health & safety.
• Knowledge of food safety & quality assurance trends and programs including FSMA, GFSI Food Safety Standards, HACCP, cGMPs, GRPs, and audit processes.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

OTHER PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Flexible work hours with evening and weekend work required.
• Up to 90% travel
• Overnight travel required.
• Store, warehouse, cooler and freezer environments.
• Hard hats and safety-toed footwear required to be worn in construction sites and when operating equipment.
• Occasional physical effort (up to 50 lbs.)
• Significant amount of driving, standing, sitting, walking, and reaching.

EQUIPMENT USED

• Motor Vehicle operation
• Personal Computer/Tablet
• Personal protective equipment