Quality Assurance Food Safety Specialist

**_About Upfield_**

We are the largest plant-based company in the world, and we believe in doing what's right for our people, our customers and the planet.

At Upfield our purpose is clear: we make people healthier and happier with nutritious and delicious, natural, plant-based products that are good for you, our planet; and with packaging that's free from plastic. We've got iconic brands like Rama, Country Crock, Blue Band and Flora that people all over the world know and love. We've been a trusted category leader since 1871 and yet we feel like we're only just getting started.

Performance, Passion and Care define who we are as a company, how we work every day, and the responsibility we feel toward our Associates, our consumers, our business partners and our world.

We are a highly entrepreneurial fast-paced team running a multi-billion Euro business across 60+ countries with the mind-set of a start-up We are agile, creative, fast-to-market and obsessed with customers and consumers.

**About the Role**

Act as Site Food Safety lead and QA expert, to support Brantford by decreasing food safety and quality related issues, holds, etc. to reach factory quality KPIs. This includes day to day administration of HACCP, GMP, SAP, and other Quality systems that ensure compliance with internal and external regulations.

Lead the FS management system of the plant the way that it complies with FSMA, SFCR, FSSC 22000 guidelines. Lead certification of site in GMP / GFSI compliance by successfully completing external announced or unannounced audit on-site.

Maintain the Upfield QMS & HACCP study up to date through annual reviews and cascading updates with Food safety related trainings, complying with internal and regulatory standards.

Responsible for intensively evaluating select retail products off the lines to monitor quality of products. Work closely with all departments (maintenance, production, R&D, purchasing) to identify and rectify any quality defects in products.

Assist Spreads & Cheese QA supervisors in investigating quality and food safety reported defects throughout the supply chain through RCA and putting CAPA in place.

Provide support to the Upfield Brantford Plant in process quality related issues to improve upon Right First Time, Quality Rate and process deviations (including non-conformance product). This will be directly linked in improving efficiency/ quality failures.

Work closely with operation to initiate Supplier Non Conformance Report (SNCR ) through S4H and then work with supplier directly on RCA and action closure so downtime in operations can be decreased.

Manage the Block & Release program ( QNF ) to avoid any potential marketplace incident through the testing of the system performing mock recalls or traceability exercises. Complete end-to end
- non-conformant product management from holding product to final disposition, including Co-ordinate with 3PWH to ensure product is dispositioned as per ways of working.

Manage reported quality non-conformances ( CAPA ) tracker and always working with stakeholders for its closure and periodic review. Work with production and maintenance / engineering to implement required measure to warrant the consumer safety and quality of product.

Maintain Consumer Safety through new or established programs to verify production performance from equipment design, operation controls and continuous improvements.

Drive monthly Food Safety and Management review meeting by sharing current trends of KPIs and key areas to focus on in terms of quality heath check. Manage different activities and training raising overall food safety culture of the site in a continuous and sustainable way.

Monitor and drive sanitation program completion.

Drive annual internal audit, monthly inspections, GMP inspections completion and reporting.

Documentation updates through online forms.

Prepare Quality weekly shift communication to present key messages related to food safety and quality to all workforce.

**Challenges**

Driving quality and food safety agenda for two different categories in a fast-paced environment. Also driving cost savings and production / planning demands.

Influencing others that do not report to this position, both at lower, similar, or higher levels in the organization.

Interact with union employees to assess capabilities and provide training required ensuring consumer safety and quality.

Demonstrate quick learning skills by gaining category knowledge and proficiency through SME in the quality and food safety function.

**Requirements**:
Bachelor's Degree in a Food Quality & Safety field (i.e. Food Technology, Applied Chemistry, Microbiology). Engineering background would be plus.

Minimum of 3 years of experience in managing QA systems/compliance in a food manufacturing environment.

Knowledge / Certification of QA systems, Microbiology proficiency, HACCP, GMP is critical. PCQI is a plus.

Excellent written and verbal skills. Highly proficient in Excel a