Director of Food Safety & Quality

Strategic goals – Ensure Our Quality Culture can deliver continuous FSQ improvement.

- Ensure the facility is ‘audit ready everyday’ by setting standards and establishing a strong quality culture at all levels

- Leads the Quality Continuous Improvement program to increase customer satisfaction through increased product ratings and reduced complaint levels

- Works to systematically reduce risk through constant re-evaluation of the HARPC/Food Safety plan using data and observation to assess and minimize risks and vulnerabilities

Role and Responsibilities

- Lead the quality team and, as a member of the site senior management team, ensure that the plant is ‘doing the right things’ (validation) and ‘doing things right’ (Verification)

- Develop and implement the Food Safety Plan (HARPC, HACCP, SSOP, GMP)

- Ensure full compliance with regulatory codes

- Coordinate/Plan Regulatory visits (USDA, FDA, FDA-FSMA, State & City)

- Coordinate/Plan 3rd Party and Certification audits (SQF, GIG, Organic, Military).

- Develop wider FSQ understanding within the team

- Ensure the internal audit system is capable of driving compliance and expose improvement opportunity is process and team/individual capability and competency

- Work with vendors and corporate team to ensure incoming material standards are met

- Develop sensory and other quality tools for the team

- Audit suppliers of raw materials

- Oversee and audit finished product specifications to ensure they are accurate and the specification is being met

- Lead the CAPA process for complaints and internal deviations

- Oversee customer manufacturing documents (iCiX, GORP)

- Manage laboratory and all associated items (allergen testing, environmental sampling program, pre op testing, microbiological testing program for shelf life and confirmation studies) and budgets

As A Leader Within the Kettle Cuisine Team You Are Expected To:

- Model, develop and support Kettle’s Core Values and safety culture

- Manage performance of all team members

- Build a strong, committed, and collaborative team

- Develop individual team members & their careers

- Conduct annual reviews and PDPs for all direct team members

- Create a culture of accountability & performance

- Drive a focus on quality and continuous improvement

- Plan work, track results and resolve variances

Qualifications and Experience

- 10 years+ experience in the fresh food manufacturing in a technical role

- Degree or equivalent qualification in Food Science/Microbiology or equivalent

- Drive, Energy, Integrity , Tenacity

- Excellent communication skills at all levels

- High Level of computer literacy – Excel, Word & internet

Required Attributes

- Self-starter able to conceptualize and drive initiatives forward

- Positive attitude and motivated by contributing to the overall success of the team

- Able to develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders

- Creative problem solving skills

- Obsessive attention to detail, well organized and able to juggle many projects at once

- Comfortable moving at a fast pace and in ambiguous environments

- Passionate about food

- Willing to address difficult situations head on with patience and respect