Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer – Meat Plant

See Job Description Below

The Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer is responsible for ensuring, through the implementation and monitoring of effective food safety and quality management systems, CPJ’s products consistently meet agreed standards. 

1. Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assists the QA Manager in the development, implementation and maintenance of the company’s food safety and quality management systems, inclusive of the Prerequisite Programme and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system in all food manufacturing, handling, storage and distribution facilities.
• Ensure that all food products processed conform to public safety regulations and standards established by local and foreign regulatory bodies e.g. Bureau of Standards, Jamaica, Ministry of Agriculture (Jamaica), US FDA/ FSMA, United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA), among others.
• Improves and drives food safety culture.
• Provides leadership and development of the Quality Assurance Team under supervision.
• Develops, implements and undertakes assessments of the company’s food safety and quality management processes and systems and ensures the effective implementation of corrective actions.
• Drives continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the Managers and Supervisors of all food manufacturing, handling, storage and distribution facilities to ensure compliance with product specification and regulatory requirements.
• Provide guidance and support to the Senior Management Team on matters relating to food safety and quality assurance.
• Oversight of laboratory quality assurance programme to ensure laboratory results are credible and maintain all laboratory and calibration records for review.
• Ensure that effective internal and supplier audits are carried out with sufficient frequency to verify compliance with all food safety and quality assurance procedures and standards.
• Collect, trend and report customer feedback on product quality and drive implementation of effective steps to make any necessary improvements.
• Establish and communicate specifications and quality attributes for the Company’s products, key raw material and ingredients.
• Define, modify and implement quality assurance procedures to monitor relevant quality attributes and take corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure proper documentation of all non-conformances to CPJ’s Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSQMS) and the subsequent corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance to all established SOPs, food safety requirements, good manufacturing practices, and sanitation requirements in accordance to CPJ’s FSQMS.
• Develop, maintain, and provide employee quality training as it relates to Food Safety and Quality Management, inclusive of Good Manufacturing Practices and Chemical Usage and Application.
• Follow-up in a timely manner to ensure non-conformances and customer complaints are documented, corrective actions are monitored and effectively closed out.
• Work closely with Pest Management Professionals and trained company pest control personnel to address specific aspects of the food safety management system.
• Develop, review, validate and implement all standard operating procedures and food safety protocols.
• Monitor staff compliance to GMPs in all food manufacturing, handling, storage and distribution facilities.
• Assist in recruitment and orientation of new department employees and ensure that appropriate training is coordinated and done for existing employees.
• Continually update job knowledge by studying trends in and developments in quality management; participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Effectively complete all other activities as delegated by the supervising authorities.

Safe Quality Food (SQF) Practitioner Responsibilities

• Leading the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the SQF system.
• Taking appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the SQF system.
• Communicating information to management to ensure that the system is effective in meeting its objectives.
• The SQF Practitioner for each facility, prepares for and schedules monthly food safety programme reviews with senior site management.
• Verifying, a minimum of annually, that the procedures and policies covering food safety plans (HACCP) and pre-requisite programmes are adhered to and meet the SQF code. This is achieved through internal audits and the verification of monitoring activities.
• Validating, a minimum of once a year, the effectiveness of the food safety plan(s) (HACCP) and the following pre-requisite programmes (Employee Hygiene and Practices (GMPs); Pest Control programme; Preventive Maintenance programme; Equipment Calibration programme; Sanitation programme; Waste Management programme and Employee Training Programme).
• On an annual basis, the SQF Practitioner prepares an annual food safety programme summary, challenges and opportunities for improvement to be reviewed with the senior management team.
• Maintaining job descriptions and competencies for food safety.
• Ensuring food safety training requirements are met for members of the management team as well as for facility employees in supervisory positions.
• Identifying training needs, scheduling training, verifying and documenting the effectiveness of training.
• Review of the company’s organizational chart when changes occur, and/or at minimum annually, for positions which affect food safety.

1.1 General Responsibilities:

• To implement any activity, process or strategy that will improve the competitive advantage of the company, in consultation with the CEO, Director of Finance and other members of the Senior Management Team.
• Ensuring the maintenance of the good name and reputation of Caribbean Producers Jamaica Ltd. in general through the demonstration and practice of the highest standards of ethical conduct.
• To abide by the disciplinary code of the company.
• Any other duties as may be assigned.
                                                                                                                                                                    Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
• Well organized and methodical approach to work and the work environment.
• Capable of analytical/critical thinking.
• Must be computer proficient including use of Microsoft platform (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Good decision making, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Must display initiative and ability to work independently.
• Should possess good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues, staff and customers.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task.
• Ability to work flexible hours as the needs of the service dictate, including out of normal hours as required.
• Ability to work within Company Policies.

1. Education & Experience:

• At least a Bachelor of Science Degree in a Technical Discipline (Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, etc.) or equivalent qualifications.
• Food safety (e.g. HACCP) and quality (e.g. ISO) certification required.
• At least 2 years’ experience in the implementation and auditing of recognized food safety and quality management systems (SQF, FSSC 22000 etc.) in the food processing industry.
• Knowledge of the SQF Food Safety Code
• Knowledge of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Preventive Controls for Human Food desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of Health and Safety Regulations.
• A current Food Handler’s Permit Performance Criteria: