Food Experience Specialist, Private Brands

Longo’s is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where team members have a place to grow and pursue excellence, have the latitude to take ownership of their careers and the support and encouragement necessary to be the best they can throughout their career. We are a Canadian, family operated food retailer which has grown and prospered since 1956. Our team members are dedicated to exceeding customer expectations by offering the best food experience to every customer, every time. It is through such commitment that Longo’s now operates over 37 stores within the GTA along with Grocery Gateway; our online grocery delivery service, is celebrating 65 years of business and is continuing to grow

Are you passionate about food?

Are you looking to take your career to the next level?

Why not join us?

**Position**:Food Experience Specialist, Private Brands

**Job Overview**:
Reporting to the VP Private Brands, the Food Experience Specialist, Private Brands, is responsible for the Private Brands quality strategy, quality targets and the identification and elimination of quality and food safety issues on both internally produced and externally manufactured products for all our brands. The Food Experience Specialist Private Brands helps to ensure that processes, procedures and measurements are in place to produce food safe and quality products, and continually improve our brands.

**Accountabilities***:

- The role of the Food Experience Specialist, Private Brands, is to support our offering of the highest quality of food at family standards and hold vendors accountable.
- Working with the Private Brands and Category Manager or Assistant Manager, in partnership with the Market Café to ensure product is checked, audited, and randomly selected for compliancy.
- Testing of product should be completed based on customer complaints, spot checks and Team Members/ Category Manager comments /concerns.
- Collaborate with the Risk department on any food safety issues.
- Collaborate and work closely with Innovation Manager assisting with bringing new skus to market
- Assist with new R&D for PB including coordinate, prepare, schedule, and conduct all cuttings including shopping, preparing, and summarizing findings for clear next steps and clear evaluation.
- Retained samples should also be a part of all Private Brand vendor programs.
- Collaborate with others to ensure product specifications are being produced and assist in ensuring the quality and safety of our products both externally received to the warehouse and/or internally produced by the Central Kitchen. This includes compliance with government, formulations and corporate specifications and the maintenance of quality standards that are representative of Longo’s.
- Ensure product specs are being met and hold vendors accountable.
- Lead and manage sensory program at Longo's.
- Perform scheduled spot check on Private Brand items to ensure within spec, weight, taste, etc. and follow up with Private Brands team, and vendor if issues identified.
- Responsible for scheduling, and facilitating product cuttings to support R&D and innovation
- Work with Risk team on guest complaints and potential recalls.
- Ensure product specs are being met and vendors are being held accountable on consistent deliverable of quality and specs we signed off on; assist with ensuring quality and food safety issues and problems are minimized.
- Ensure processes, procedures and measurements are in place to produce food safe and quality products, and continually improve our guest experience.
- Lead and manage sensory at Longo’s.
- Schedule and coordinate internal and third-party quality audits for our private label products,
- Work with key individuals to perform sampling, inspection, and physical testing on the product and/or equipment.
- Maintain proper documentation relating to QA reports, KPI’s.
- Responsible for all aspects of internal cuttings, assisting with getting new skus to market quickly and with highest quality in mind.
- Ensure superior product standards through the use innovative ideas and concepts through the use of quality and food safety controls to comply with specifications.
- Identifying training needs, providing opportunity for personal growth, assuring adherence to company policies and practices, managing absenteeism, providing coaching and assisting in performance management.
- Question complacency of the status quo and act as a quality culture change manager looking at tools and processes that can be upgraded and modernized across the site.
- Assist Risk team to identify an issue and /or determine what action is needed to take (i.e., recall)

**Knowledge, Skills & Competencies**:

- Completion of diploma/degree in food science or related field
- 5+ years of experience with Quality Assurance.
- Leading quality teams within a fast-moving consumer goods environment.
- Proficient with office 365, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Te