Food Safety & Quality Systems Specialist

Position Summary

The Food Safety & Quality Systems Specialist (SQF Practitioner) is responsible for maintaining and continuously improving the company's Food Safety and Quality Management System (FSQMS) to ensure compliance with SQF requirements, regulatory standards, customer expectations, and company policies. Serving as the designated SQF Practitioner, this role leads food safety system administration, audit readiness, document control, corrective action management, and continuous improvement initiatives across the organization.

The Food Safety & Quality Systems Specialist partners closely with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Product Development, and Quality teams to ensure the consistent production of safe, high-quality pet food products while maintaining compliance with all applicable food safety and quality standards.

What you will do

SQF Program Leadership

• Serve as the facility's designated SQF Practitioner and subject matter expert for SQF requirements.
• Maintain and continuously improve the SQF Food Safety and Quality Management System.
• Ensure compliance with SQF Code requirements and support ongoing certification efforts.
• Lead annual SQF audit preparation activities and participate in customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Manage corrective action responses resulting from internal audits, SQF audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
• Facilitate and support food safety culture initiatives throughout the organization.
• Partner with production and support teams to ensure compliance with SQF, food safety, and quality standards.

Food Safety & Quality Systems Management

• Maintain programs related to HACCP, Preventive Controls, GMPs, allergen management, environmental monitoring, sanitation, traceability, supplier quality, and food defense.
• Ensure all food safety and quality programs remain compliant with FDA, USDA, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support validation and verification activities for food safety programs and quality systems.
• Conduct risk assessments and support implementation of preventive controls and mitigation strategies.
• Review and update food safety plans and supporting documentation as required.

Document Control & Compliance

• Administer and maintain document control systems, ensuring procedures, work instructions, forms, specifications, and records remain current and audit-ready.
• Maintain, organize, and archive controlled documents within electronic management systems.
• Manage document review and approval workflows.
• Perform periodic audits of documentation systems to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
• Communicate document control requirements and changes to cross-functional teams.
• Support document accuracy verification through routine audits and record reviews.

Audit & Regulatory Compliance

• Conduct internal audits and facility inspections to verify compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate audit schedules and maintain audit records and action plans.
• Track and verify completion of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Support regulatory inspections and customer visits.
• Monitor changes to regulatory requirements and industry standards and implement updates as necessary.

Corrective Actions & Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause investigations related to food safety incidents, quality issues, customer complaints, audit findings, and non-conformances.
• Develop, implement, and monitor CAPAs to ensure effectiveness.
• Analyze quality and food safety data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Support continuous improvement projects focused on quality, food safety, operational efficiency, and compliance.
• Participate in company safety and continuous improvement initiatives.

Training & Cross-Functional Support

• Assist in developing and delivering food safety, GMP, SQF, sanitation, and quality systems training.
• Support onboarding and ongoing education for plant personnel.
• Provide guidance and support to operations teams regarding food safety and quality requirements.
• Support new product development activities, product trials, and validation projects.
• Serve as a backup resource for FSQA leadership as needed.

What you bring

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Animal Science, or a related scientific discipline required.

Experience

• 3–5+ years of Food Safety, Quality Assurance, Quality Systems, or Regulatory Compliance experience within food, beverage, pet food, or consumer packaged goods manufacturing.
• Experience supporting and maintaining SQF or other GFSI-recognized certification programs.
• Experience leading internal audits and participating in third-party audits.
• Strong understanding of HACCP, Preventive Controls, GMPs, FDA regulations, and quality management systems.

Certifications

• SQF Practitioner certification and audit experience required.
• HACCP Certification required.
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification preferred.
• Internal Auditor certification preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of SQF requirements and food safety management systems.
• Working knowledge of FDA regulations, cGMPs, food microbiology, and food manufacturing operations.
• Experience with electronic document management systems, SharePoint, and quality management software.
• Strong root cause analysis and corrective action management skills.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and project management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Key Performance Indicators

• Successful SQF certification and audit outcomes.
• Timely completion and effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Audit readiness and compliance performance.
• Reduction in recurring quality and food safety issues.
• Accuracy and maintenance of food safety and quality system documentation.
• Compliance with regulatory and customer requirements.
• Continuous improvement in food safety and quality performance metrics.