**SQF Certification Required**

Bloomingdale IL

POSITION SUMMARY

The SQF Practitioner is responsible for developing, implementation, and maintenance of the SQF System and maintenance of quality assurance and food safety initiatives.

• Manage and conduct comprehensive annual HACCP and SQF reassessments including program review and functional audits of HACCP, SQF programs, and pre-requisite programs and all supporting pre-requisite programs such as GMPs, USDA-SSOPs, Allergen Control, Receiving and Shipping Inspection, Sanitation etc. on a minimum annual basis or as necessary to assess effectiveness of the Food Safety and Food Quality programs.
• Develop, manage and collaborate with internal stakeholders for internal audit programs and external food safety audits at a frequency necessary to maintain food safe conditions and product quality expectations.
• Assisting with the investigation of customer quality complaints, developing action plans to mitigate future issues, and track issues. Communicate findings to appropriate management, sales, and customer service associates. to ensure customer
• Keep the plant updated on all HACCP, regulatory and SQF related notices and directives.
• Engage in projects or activities that modify or improve quality, food safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate cross-functionally as change agent and take initiative with Sales, Customer Service, Operations, Maintenance, and R&D Departments in the areas of quality program management, commissioning projects, inspection coordination and auditing/testing requirements.
• Collaborate with Quality Systems manager in verifying the programs are executed as intended.
• Maintain documentation to support SQF systems.
• Super-user for the document management systems, such as Redzone, FoodLogiq, but not limited to.
• Collaborating with internal stakeholders for managing risk assessments, developing, and implementing process controls for monitoring and verifying compliance with SQF, USDA & FDA.
• Ensure the highest level of commitment to HACCP, GMPs, and customer expectations in order to provide assurance that all products have been produced, prepared, and handled according to the highest possible standards.
• Coordinate regular SQF meetings with management and stakeholders
• Responsible for reporting people safety, food safety or quality observations to their management team and/or area QA for immediate actions.

BACK UP ASSIGNMENT:

• SQF practitioner is the assigned backup support for QA manager in case of their absence.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Effective communicator across all functions and levels of the organization
• Strong drive for results and ability to bring projects to completion.
• ERP systems experience a plus.
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Customer focus & facing

• Problem solving : Identifies and resolves issues in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully; makes recommendations and follows through to completion. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Written and oral communication : Speaks clearly and persuasively in a positive or negative situation, demonstrates group presentation and meetings skills. Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Planning/organization : Prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently and develops realistic action plans; displays common sense.
• Adaptability : Adapts to changes in work environment, manages competing demands and is able to deal with frequent change
• Comprehensive knowledge in plant GMPs, sanitation practices, microbiology, sampling techniques, and plans.
• Safety and Security : Actively promotes and personally upholds safety, bio-security, and facility security procedures, equipment, and materials properly.
• Confidentiality : Operates in a manner that keeps the sensitivity and confidentiality of information with which they come in contact.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• B.S. degree in Food Science, Microbiology/Biology, Chemistry, Public Health Studies, or technical disciplines.
• 3+ years related experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• HACCP and SQF Practitioner Certification required.
• Experienced in developing training and implementing quality and food safety initiatives including SQF, HACCP and Sanitation procedures.
• Experience with regulatory agencies such as FDA, HACCP and USDA.