Food Safety and Quality Assurance Specialist at GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY in Chicago, Illinois

Job Description:

General Description:

The responsibilities of this role include ongoing monitoring of food safety regulatory guidelines and best practices; this includes reporting non-compliance conditions and establishing corrective actions.

The Food Safety and Quality Assurance Specialist will oversee day-to-day food safety operations, with a focus on Good Manufacturing Practices, and will work cross-departmentally in support of safe food distribution.

This role serves as the primary food safety Qualified Individual for food processing and distribution, reporting to the organization’s certified Preventive Control Qualified Individual (Execute Chef).

This role requires a collaborative, tactful approach, and serves to positively influence food safety culture across the organization through education and engagement.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

• Drive food safety culture throughout the organization


• Establish Quality Assurance rubrics and facilitate relevant QA/QC assessments


• Drive an audit-ready approach to food safety and develop a routine, comprehensive mock audit program


• Constantly review and improve current processes to increase efficiency and improve results through continuous improvement for food safety, quality and neighbor safety


• Modernize and facilitate food safety training and education efforts throughout the organization


• Perform routine observation and inspection of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) within CCK


• Perform routine observation and inspection of Good Distribution Practices (GDP) within warehousing operations


• Manage recordkeeping and record-retention of required food safety documentation and HACCP logs


• Report non-compliance conditions and make recommendations of appropriate corrective actions to department management


• Monitor, track, report non-conformance trends and root-cause analysis and develop corrective actions for follow-up.


• Coordinate pest control efforts with licensed operators and manage internal grain-based pest prevention per GDP


• Modernize the HACCP required Food Safety Team and facilitate required annual GMP/GDP review and revisions


• Manage and/or assist with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Prerequisite Programs (PRP), including but not limited to:
  
  
  
  • Trace Recall
  
  
  • Food Safety Training
  
  
  • Labeling Approval
  
  
  • Physical Contaminant Control
  
  
  • Time and Temperature Control
  
  
  • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
  
  
  • Master Cleaning Schedules (MCS)
  
  
  • Standard Sanitation Operating Procedure (SSOP)
  
  
  • Hygienic Standards
  
  
  • Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
  
  
  • Third Party Audit Coordination
  
  
  • Pathogen Testing
  
  
  
  


• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• High School graduate/GED equivalent


• 3-5 years' experience in Food Safety and/or Quality Assurance


• Working knowledge of regulatory requirements (i.e. FDA, USDA, etc.) and current industry best practices


• HACCP or PCQI management certification required within 6 months of hire


• Proficiency in MS Office; Word, Excel, Outlook


• Ability to define problems and provide valid solutions drawn from data


• Ability to influence and drive positive change.


• Ability to work in a team environment as well as independently.


• Ability to prioritize and multi-task


• Must possess strong communication and analytical skills

Exposure:               

• Standard office environment with extensive exposure to warehouse operations and meal production; hold and cold environments


• Regular interaction with GCFD staff and key stakeholders


• Consistent standing and walking throughout hours of operation

Benefits:  

• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage

• Employer-paid life and disability insurance

• Employee Assistance Program

• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution

• Generous paid time off

• Parental leave

• On-site gym

• $3,000 annual employer-paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program

• $250 employee referral bonus