Food Safety Team Leader Job Description

FOOD SAFETY TEAM LEADER SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONS

The Food Safety Team Leader manages the organization’s Food Safety Management System (FSMS), overseeing food safety processes, audits, corrective actions, and recalls and keeping the organization informed of food safety issues.

FOOD SAFETY TEAM LEADER ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Periodically review all food safety procedures and instructions, to ensure they remain current
• Review requests to change FSMS-related procedures and work instructions and direct the Food Safety Team through such reviews
• Manage the Food Safety Team and ensure that processes needed for the FSMS are established, implemented, and maintained
• Report to the President and top management on the performance of the FSMS and any need for improvement
• Ensure the promotion of awareness of customer requirements pertaining to food safety throughout the organization
• Develop the Company’s prerequisite programs and ensure that PRPs are implemented, monitored, and communicated to the appropriate parties, and periodically review PRPs.
• Assemble Food Safety Teams, as needed
• Prepare a Flow Diagram for each product or process category covered by the Food Safety Management System and verify the accuracy of those diagrams
• Conduct hazard analyses
• Ensure that inspection requirements are included on Purchase Orders
• Evaluate suppliers’/vendors’ food safety systems; monitor and report on supplier food safety performance on an ongoing basis
• Review all rejections by the Food Inspector
• Review revisions to manufacturing practices, to ensure potential food safety hazards have been adequately addressed
• Confirming the nonconformity and determine the disposition of nonconforming materials
• Oversee the internal food safety audit program – select internal audit personnel, review results of food safety audits, ensure that corrective actions are understood, and supervise corrective actions
• Reporting on corrections and corrective actions taken at Management Review meetings
• Collect, analyze, and publish measurement data, to determine the root cause of process and product food safety problems and recommend action to resolve those problems
• Initiate and supervise product recalls, to ensure adequate implementation and effectiveness
• Supervise hazard analyses, report results of analyses to top management, and periodically review food safety-related processes to ensure hazards are accounted for and controlled

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Reports directly to the organization’s top management. Works in conjunction with Production, Shipping and Receiving, Warehousing, and IT to ensure and improve food safety.

PROCEDURES

The Food Safety Team Leader Job Description is mentioned in the following procedures:

FOOD SAFETY TEAM LEADER QUALIFICATIONS

A bachelor’s degree in bioscience or food science is required, as is 5+ years of experience in a food processing environment. Experience conducting hazard analyses is necessary. Looking for candidates with current food safety inspector/food safety auditor (e.g., ISO 22000, HACCP) certification.

Must have demonstrated ability to lead a team of # or more. Good communication skills and the ability to work well with people at all levels are essential. Strong organizational, math, and multitasking skills. Project management experience preferred.

FOOD SAFETY TEAM LEADER PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Ability to communicate orally with customers, vendors, management, and coworkers is crucial. Regular use of phone and email for communication is essential. Hearing and vision correctable to within normal ranges is essential for normal conversations, receiving ordinary information, and preparing or inspecting documents.

The ability to remain in a stationary position roughly 50% of the time, as well as the ability to move about the office occasionally (accessing files/storage, office equipment, computers and other office productivity devices, attending meetings, etc.), is required.

Using a computer while sitting for extended periods is common. Must also be able to position self to maintain equipment, including under tables and desks.

No heavy lifting is expected, though occasional exertion of about 20 lbs. of force (e.g., picking up and carrying binders, laptops) may be required. Good manual dexterity required to use common office equipment (e.g., computers, mobile devices, calculators, copiers, scanners).

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The job is performed indoors in a traditional office setting. Extended periods of sitting while using a computer or other devices are common.