Why You’ll Love This Job
Since 1987, the team at Cafe Valley has produced muffins, bundt cakes, ring cakes, loaf cakes, danishes, turnovers, croissants, and our signature Cafe Bites for our customers throughout the United States and across the world. Demand for our products have grown to the extent that our state-of-the-art, Phoenix, AZ production facility built in 2011 was joined by our Marion, IN production facility in 2014. Through innovative bakery techniques and unique recipes, we continue to delight one bite at a time.
The Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing and maintaining the highest standards of food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance within the organization. This position involves strategic planning, leadership, and collaboration across various departments to ensure the safety and quality of all bakery products and processes related to food production.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and communicate a comprehensive food safety and quality strategy aligned with the company’s overall goals and objectives.
- Lead and manage a team of professionals responsible for various aspects of food safety and quality, including quality assurance, and regulatory affairs.
- Provide visionary leadership to foster a culture of food safety and continuous improvement.
- Strong understanding of 21 CFR 117.
- Experience with FDA FSMA audits, 483, warning letters.
- Stay abreast of relevant local, national, and international regulations and standards related to food safety and quality.
- Ensure the organization’s compliance with all applicable food safety laws, regulations, and certifications (e.g., FDA, HARPC, GMP, BRC, Kosher).
- Effective Hazard Analysis of potential pathogens.
- Zone definition to mitigate risk to the company from pathogens.
- Data management using Corvium / Neogen platform.
- Corrective and Preventive Controls Outline a clear protocol for responding to positive sample results that exceed established action thresholds. This could involve stopping production, conducting a deep cleaning, investigating potential sources of contamination, and implementing corrective measures.
- Root cause analysis in cases of positive results, perform a thorough investigation to identify the root causes of contamination. This helps prevent recurrence and improve the overall effectiveness of the monitoring program.
- Develop, implement, and manage quality assurance programs, processes, and procedures to ensure product safety, consistency, and excellence.
- Monitor and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs) related to product quality and establish corrective and preventative actions when necessary.
- Manage the Supply Chain Preventive Controls using TraceGains.
- Collaborate with suppliers and vendors to establish and maintain robust food safety standards for incoming materials and ingredients.
- Manage audits and assessments of suppliers to ensure their adherence to food safety and quality requirements.
- Manage HARPC risk assessment for all new ingredients, equipment, and processes.
- Develop administrative and engineering controls to address identified risks.
- Work closely with R&D and product development teams to integrate food safety and quality considerations into new product design and development.
- Participate in cross-functional teams to ensure products meet safety and quality standards from concept to launch.
- Oversee development of training programs to educate employees at all levels about food safety and quality protocols, regulations, and best practices.
- Establish crisis management protocols to respond effectively to any food safety or quality incidents and minimize potential risks to consumers and the company’s reputation.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including operations, supply chain, marketing, and legal to ensure a holistic approach to food safety and quality.
- Communicate with internal and external stakeholders about the organization’s commitment to food safety and quality.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field
- Extensive experience (typically 15+ years) in food safety and quality management, with a proven track record of leadership and strategic thinking.
- In-depth knowledge of food safety regulations, quality control methodologies, and industry best practices.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and collaboration skills.
- Experience with managing teams and fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
- In-depth knowledge of food microbiology.
- Demonstrated ability to manage crisis situations and make informed decisions under pressure.
- Certifications such as Certified Food Scientist (CFS), Certified Quality Manager (CQM), or similar are advantageous.
Type: Part Time (Salaried)
Job ID: 110992