Food Safety and Compliance Manager Job Description

Position Title: Food Safety, Compliance, and Quality Manager
Location: Tallahassee, FL (On-site)
Schedule: Full-time, Monday to Friday, with regular travel between Plant and Distribution Center

Overview

We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Food Safety and Compliance Manager with at least 3 years of leadership experience in the food manufacturing or processing industry. This role is critical to ensuring our food safety systems are robust, our regulatory and customer requirements are met, and our quality control practices consistently protect our brand and customers.

The ideal candidate will have a deep knowledge of SQF, hands-on experience with FDA audits, and a strong ability to lead cross-functional teams through risk-based decision-making and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of the company's food safety systems in accordance with SQF, FSMA, and FDA regulations.
• Own the site's Food Safety Plan (HACCP, Preventive Controls), ensuring it is current, validated, and effective.
• Prepare for and lead regulatory and third-party audits, including FDA and SQF certifications.
• Manage the CAPA process for food safety deviations, ensuring effective root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Coordinate food safety training and internal auditing programs across departments.
• Identify potential compliance risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.

2. Customer and Supplier Compliance

• Ensure all customer-specific food safety, labeling, and documentation requirements are met.
• Oversee compliance with supplier approval programs and incoming goods inspections.
• Respond to customer quality/safety audits and documentation requests with clarity and confidence.
• Communicate compliance risks to leadership and proactively drive mitigation.

3. Quality Control & Continuous Improvement

• Implement and monitor quality control procedures throughout production to meet product specifications.
• Oversee finished goods and in-process checks, hold-and-release systems, and product traceability.
• Use data and trend analysis to identify quality deviations and drive process improvements.
• Foster a “right-first time” culture on the floor, integrating food safety with quality metrics.

4. Team Leadership and Culture Building

• Supervise and develop the QA and food safety team, including training, evaluations, and daily support.
• Promote a culture of food safety awareness and ownership across the facility.
• Act as a hands-on leader — visible in production areas and accessible to operators and leads.

• Bachelor's degree in food science, Microbiology, or a related technical field preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in food manufacturing or production with leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated expertise in SQF implementation and audit preparation.
• Strong working knowledge of FDA regulations and preventive controls under FSMA.
• Proven track record of managing food safety risks and maintaining certifications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; confident working with regulatory bodies and customer QA teams.
• Skilled in problem-solving, root cause analysis, and CAPA systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and quality management tools.
• Certifications such as PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner, or similar are preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish or Portuguese) is a plus.

Work Environment & Expectations

• Work is performed in both office and food manufacturing environments.
• Requires use of PPE including hairnets, gloves, aprons, and footwear.
• Must be able to travel regularly between local sites (Plant and Distribution Center).
• Flexibility is required for audit preparation, crisis management, or off-hour production support.
• This job description is subject to change based on business needs.

Compensation details: 80000-90000 Yearly Salary

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