Food Safety Supplier Quality Specialist

Food Safety Supplier Quality Specialist Job Description The Food Safety Supplier Quality Specialist ensures that all suppliers, co-manufacturers, and ingredients meet rigorous food safety, regulatory, and customer requirements. This role maintains current supplier and co-manufacturing documentation, leads supplier onboarding and new ingredient qualification, and manages customer compliance requests. The position partners closely with Procurement, R&D, and operations teams to support safe, compliant, and audit-ready food manufacturing in a GFSI-certified environment. Responsibilities

- Maintain current and accurate supplier and co-manufacturing files, including the approved supplier list, qualification records, and all relevant certifications such as FSMA, SQF, Kosher, and Organic.
- Lead supplier onboarding by qualifying new suppliers and ingredients before first use, in close collaboration with Procurement and R&D teams.
- Conduct new ingredient reviews to ensure compliance with internal specifications, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.
- Evaluate Certificates of Analysis (COAs), product specifications, and ingredient and allergen documentation to verify alignment with FDA and FSMA requirements.
- Manage and respond to customer compliance requests, including completion of questionnaires, updates to customer portals, and follow-up actions from audits.
- Support food safety and quality audits, including SQF and other GFSI-related audits, by maintaining audit-ready documentation and participating in audit activities as needed.
- Review and verify labels and documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with applicable regulations and internal standards.
- Monitor and document non-conformances related to suppliers, ingredients, and finished products, and support corrective and preventive actions.
- Apply knowledge of HACCP and preventive controls to supplier and ingredient programs, ensuring hazards are identified and controlled.
- Maintain accurate, organized, and audit-ready records for all supplier, ingredient, and food safety documentation.
- Collaborate effectively with leadership and frontline teams to communicate requirements, resolve issues, and support continuous improvement in food safety and quality.
- Work regularly with a broad supplier base using TraceGains or similar systems to manage documentation, specifications, and ongoing supplier compliance.

Essential Skills

- Minimum of 2+ years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or FSQA within a food manufacturing environment.
- Food science or related technical degree, with hands-on experience in GFSI-certified manufacturing environments.
- Working knowledge of SQF, FSMA, HACCP, GMPs, and food safety documentation requirements.
- Proven ability to evaluate COAs, product specifications, and ingredient/allergen documentation against FDA and FSMA requirements.
- Experience working with retailer technical compliance systems and translating regulatory requirements into practical documentation.
- Knowledge of HACCP principles and preventive controls.
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate, audit-ready records.
- Experience with food safety and quality assurance activities such as food audits, GMP verification, and documentation control.
- Ability to manage supplier onboarding, new ingredient review, and customer compliance requests effectively.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

- HACCP certification.
- PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) or SQF Practitioner experience is a plus.
- Prior experience supporting SQF audits or working in GFSI-certified food manufacturing sites.
- Experience stepping into temporary, interim, or project-based FSQA roles.
- Familiarity with systems used for supplier management and documentation, such as TraceGains.
- Experience with managing documentation related to allergens, Kosher, Organic, and other certification programs.
- Ability to interpret and apply regulatory and customer requirements in a practical, operations-focused manner.
- Strong collaboration skills with both leadership and frontline teams to support a culture of food safety and quality.

Work Environment This role primarily operates from an office setting within a food manufacturing organization, with regular interaction with production, quality, and cross-functional teams. The position will primarily be based in the Plymouth location and will visit the Elk River plant approximately once per week to support on-site needs. The Food Safety Supplier Quality Specialist works closely with more than 50 suppliers and uses TraceGains as the primary system for managing supplier information, documentation, and specifications. The environment emphasizes mission-driven work focused on using simple, wholesome ingredients and creating a positive impact through its products and community engagement. The culture values bright, ambitious individuals who align with core values, seek fulfillment from their work, and contribute to a supportive and inclusive atmosphere. Team members have opportunities for career development, exposure to different locations and roles, and involvement in community and kindness-focused initiatives. Work involves frequent use of computers and documentation systems, attention to detail, and readiness for internal and external audits in a food manufacturing context.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Minneapolis, MN.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $50.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Minneapolis,MN.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.