Food Safety and Halal Compliance Specialist

Emirates; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An international airline is looking for a Food Safety and Halal Compliance Specialist to oversee supplier compliance and ensure adherence to global standards. The role involves conducting thorough audits, developing compliance manuals, and providing training on food safety practices. Candidates should have a science degree and at least 5 years of relevant experience, with a dedication to quality and excellent English proficiency essential for this position. Frequent international travel is required.

Benefits

Attractive tax-free salary

Travel benefits including flight and hotel discounts

Qualifications

• Completed Degree or Honours (12+3 or equivalent) in Science.
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in conducting Internal and External Food Safety and Quality Audits.
• Experience in In-Flight Services or In-Flight Catering is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent food safety and Halal audits at Emirates F&B partners globally.
• Develop and maintain food safety and Halal compliance manuals.
• Identify supplier performance trends regarding food safety and Halal compliance.

Skills

Food safety

Halal compliance

Excellent English

Self-motivated

Education

Degree in Science

Microbiology/Biological Sciences/Environmental health

Job description

Food Safety and Halal Compliance Specialist

Job Purpose

Join our Food Safety & Compliance team, where you will be part of an exciting business area that plays a vital role in delivering the Emirates ‘Fly Better’ experience. This team is responsible for a wide range of food and non-food functions, including catering, equipment, and amenities for in-flight dining and special events.

If you are passionate about food safety excellence, logistics, and delivering world‑class service, we invite you to apply and contribute to the success of Emirates Group. As a key part of our Service Delivery operations, this team makes crucial decisions that enhance the customer experience and elevate our growing global brand.

About the Role

The Food Safety & Halal Compliance Specialist works internationally to evaluate the food safety and halal compliance of all existing and potential food & beverage suppliers and their products. They will ensure that all appropriate globally recognised regulatory standards are met and maintain the supplier evaluation system through the Emirates catering management portal.

In this role, you will:

• Schedule, plan and prepare an annual work programme of assessing food safety & halal compliance audits of selected Emirates F&B partners globally that require extensive international travel for audits.
• Conduct independent, fair and thorough food safety and Halal audits at global Emirates F&B partners adhering to internationally recognised principles of auditing.
• Develop and update the EK food safety and Halal compliance manuals.
• Conduct regular presentations to all key stakeholders and provide updates to the team on important changes to global/country specific legislation.
• Develop and maintain the EK-designed supplier self‑assessment questionnaire in accordance with the globally recognised HACCP regulations. Ensure annual supplier completion and follow up on all relevant corrective actions.
• Liaise with EK Group Legal, Customer Affairs, and Insurance on food safety‑related cases. Investigate and respond to food safety‑related queries raised by the EK Internal Audit team and Dubai Municipality inspectors and prepare all supporting documentation.
• Identify supplier performance trends with regards to food safety and Halal compliance. Analyse and recommend to the catering leadership ways to continually improve food hygiene and food safety standards across the network.
• Develop and deliver technical training to all key stakeholders on the importance of the EK food safety program, GMPs, pest control verification, personnel hygiene practices, preventative maintenance schedules and operational Halal compliance.
• Review, approve and maintain all ingredient declarations in the catering management system, ensuring that all EK‑nominated food and beverage items are compliant with the globally recognised Food Safety and Halal standards.
• Accountable for maintaining the accuracy of all food safety and Halal related documentation, incident and corrective action management on the catering management system, and ensuring that all vendors comply with the terms and conditions outlined in their agreed service level agreement.
• Manage the EK defined product recall process and act as a pivotal member of the recall team. Carry out regular product recall mocks challenging the team with varying scenarios. Ensure that the recall register and process documentation is up to date and accurate and that the recall team are acutely aware of their role and responsibilities.

Qualification

To be considered for the role, you must meet the requirements below:

• Completed Degree or Honours (12+3 or equivalent) in Science.
• A Degree in Microbiology/Biological Sciences/Environmental health or an equivalent would be considered an asset/advantage.
• Internationally recognised Food Safety and Halal Internal or Lead Auditor Qualification from a recognised institute.
• A minimum of 5+ years of experience in conducting Internal and External Food Safety and Quality Audits.
• 5+ years of experience working in Food & Beverage, Manufacturing or a Catering industry.
• Experience in food manufacturing, catering and food safety in a laboratory environment.
• Experience in In-Flight Services or In-Flight Catering is considered an asset.
• Completed professional/operational training at an advanced level.
• Excellent standard of written and spoken English.
• Self‑motivated.
• The ability to frequently travel internationally for duty is required.

Emirates is an international organisation with employees from over 160 nationalities; we encourage applications from across the globe!

Your application journey begins by applying via the Emirates Careers website. Please ensure your CV is up to date for our talent acquisition team to review your profile. If you meet the criteria of the role, you will be invited to complete a “HireVue” video interview to share more about your experience and your career aspirations. If you are shortlisted, you will then be invited to an assessment and interview with our hiring managers.

If you are successful, your recruiter will reach out to you with an offer and our Onboarding team will ensure a smooth transition into your new role at Emirates. We look forward to hearing from you!

Salary & Benefits

Join us in Dubai and enjoy an attractive tax‑free salary and travel benefits that are exclusive to our industry, including discounts on flights and hotel stays around the world. Find out what it’s like to live and work in our fast‑paced, cosmopolitan home city in the Dubai Lifestyle section of our website www.emirates.com/careers.