Specialist, Food Safety

• Develop, implement, and maintain the organization's QMS to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards (e.g., ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, GMP).
• Develop, implement, and manage food safety and quality policies and procedures, based on global input.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, including HACCP, FDA, and USDA standards. Stay informed of industry regulations, standards, and best practices, ensuring that the organization meets all necessary compliance requirements.
• Develop and deliver training programs for employees on quality assurance, food safety practices, compliance standards, and relevant regulations.
• Conduct regular audits of the QMS and related processes to ensure effectiveness and compliance.
• Conduct regular audits and inspections of food handling and storage practices.
• Coordinate the successful completion of external audits and implementation of food safety certifications
• Responsible for BC quality and food safety internal audits and food safety and quality internal audits
• Foster a culture of quality, food safety and compliance throughout the organization.
• Develop and maintain procedures and work instructions
• Identify potential quality / food safety risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Lead best practice & Incident sharing
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure quality and compliance are integrated into all aspects of operations.
• Communicate quality and compliance issues and improvements to senior management and stakeholders.
• Ensure all documents are managed under document control procedure at factory level
• Collaborate with production and quality assurance teams to identify and mitigate food safety risks.
• Provide scientific and technical food safety and microbiological support to the site to ensure product safety and quality, through risk assessment, program development and training.
• Investigate food safety incidents and implement corrective actions as necessary.
• Conduct regular food safety audits
• Review Sanitation KPI's and provide guidance on improving sanitation /food safety program controls.
• Regular review of EMP & Sanitation results and implement timely action for non-conforming results.
• Lead cross-functional teams to improve food safety practices and culture within the organization.
• Ensure CCP/OPRP validations are conducted on a regular basis and meets all requirements
• Ensure allergen validations are conducted and meets the requirements on a regular basis
• Coordinate with pest control vendors to ensure effective pest management strategies are in place.
• Train staff on GMP practices, pest management protocols, and hygiene standards.
• Maintain accurate records of GMP compliance and pest management activities, including inspections and corrective actions taken.
• Coordinate, plan, and implement quality and food safety programs. Identify and communicate food safety risks to site, giving actionable advice on Food Safety programs and incorporating updates into existing programs.
• Suggest and implement changes in working conditions and use of equipment to increase food safety and efficiency of all departments.
• Conduct validation studies and risk assessments to determine critical limits for critical processes and collaborate with internal and external resources to update/maintain procedures. Includes responsibility to validate HACCP Program.
• The Food Safety Specialist will oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of food safety programs to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. This role will focus on creating a culture of food safety and quality within the operations, conducting training for staff, and ensuring that all food safety and quality practices meet or exceed industry standards.
• Perform all other related duties as requested.

• B.S. in a food safety discipline (Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Science or related field)
• 5 or more years' experience in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Micro Biology or a technically related field or equivalent.
• 5 or more years' experience in Food Quality and/or Food Safety including experience in food industry auditing preferred
• Thorough technical knowledge of quality & food safety including HACCP, GMP, Pathogen Environmental Monitoring and Facility/Equipment Design
• HACCP certification program design and implementation
• Global Food Safety Institute practitioner or certified auditor preferred
• Strong written & verbal communication skills, analytical ability, leadership strengths and ability to work effectively with a team are required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SAP
• Ability to climb stairs, bend, stand, kneel, work over and under all equipment and machinery and be able to move about the entire factory, both interior and exterior freely. A tolerance for extreme temperatures is required.

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• 12 paid holidays, generous PTO, plus your birthday off
• Environment that welcomes workplace flexibility
• An atmosphere where diversity is embraced, and inclusivity is second nature. We call it #OneBC! Just ask our champions with the Americas Women's Forum and the Racial Equality Forum!
• Ability to grow personally and professionally within an organization that values development and internal career growth
• Be part of our mission in making sustainability the norm through Forever Chocolate with priorities centered around prospering farmers, zero child labor, carbon and forest positive, and creating 100% sustainable ingredients in all of our products.

Barry Callebaut