Food Safety Compliance Specialist

Job Location

Bluffton, IN

Under minimal guidance, the Food Safety Compliance Specialist's primary role is to coordinate efforts to achieve and maintain Global Food Safety Initiative certification. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance to all company and regulatory policies/procedures pertaining to product safety/quality. The incumbent shall be responsible for coordination of the following programs: new hire training, monthly employee training, maintenance of the plant's food safety and quality program, and various computer support systems for data manipulation, basic analysis and reports of product quality information.

• Food Safety/Quality Program Compliance
  • To assure compliance with the food safety/food quality programs, facilitate required employee training, complete required internal assessments, develop corrective/preventive actions, lead third‑party audits, and complete required validation and verifications of the system.
• PEP / GFSI Program Compliance
  • Lead the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the plant's food safety/food quality program to assure compliance with The Hershey Company's Product Excellence Program and GFSI standards.
• Manufacturing Support
  • The position serves as a technical resource for Manufacturing and Engineering, providing leadership and guidance in the areas of weight control, packaging, incident investigation and resolution, troubleshooting, and other related matters.
  • Support shall also be provided for employee training and product/process audits.
  • The position provides QA support to the various Business Units across the plant.
• Training / Communication
  • Assure employee ownership of programs by communicating essential information related to food safety/food quality to all employees, including management and line operatives.

• Effective communication of technical and non‑technical information to various levels, both internally and externally to the organization.
• Strong working knowledge of QA principles.
• Working knowledge of federal and state food industry regulations.
• Understanding of sanitation and pest control practices.
• Strong understanding of The Hershey Company's Product Excellence Program (PEP) and HACCP.
• Strong understanding of GFSI standards.
• Strong computer and document management skills.
• Strong documentation skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with all levels internally and externally to the plant to deliver timely results.
• Establish and sustain effective relationships with all employees in order to foster an environment where innovation and cooperation are used to solve problems.
• Strong auditing/assessment skills.
• Knowledge of manufacturing operations.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to influence management, enabling the activities of employee teams that do not have direct reporting to the Specialist.
• Ability to interact effectively with third‑party and internal auditors.
• Position will primarily work first shift, but work‑schedule flexibility is required to support a 24/7 manufacturing operation.

• B.S. in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field is required.
• M.S. in Food Science, Food Safety or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5+ years of related experience.
• Safe Quality Food (SQF) Practitioner Certification is desirable.
• HACCP Certification is desirable. Six Sigma certification is desirable.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.

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